What's Up Lonely?
by GGluvr1987
Summary: Rory and Dean never got back together after the first breakup. She hates to admit it, but she is lonely. Can a certain Chiltonite raise her spirits? TRORY
1. Try it Without the Book

TITLE: "What's Up Lonely?"

SUMMARY: Rory never got back together with Dean after the first break-up. She doesn't want to admit it, but she is lonely. Can a certain Chiltonite raise her spirits? Title from a Kelly Clarkson song.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything involved with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am just borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey guys, I'm back! I'm on Winter Break and I can't help myself! I know this has been done a million times before, but please try it! Who can't get enough TRORY anyway? I'm trying another chaptered story, so I hope it goes well! Now, on with the story!**

It had been three months since Rory saw Dean last. She had finally admitted to herself that they were really over and took off her bracelet and placed it in the 'Dean box.' No matter how much it hurt, she knew it was right. She cared for him, but she knew that she didn't love him. After all, now she could focus all of her attention on getting into Harvard. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

Tristan DuGrey was extremely bored. The girl in front of him was droning on and on about something or another, but he had stopped listening after "hello." Why did all of the girls at school have to be mindless idiots? Well, not all of them. There was of course, Paris, but no way would he go down that road again. And then there was Rory Gilmore. His Mary. He had tried and failed on several occasions with Rory, but he was still completely infatuated with her. He had heard from Paris that she had broken up with the Bagboy. He would love to have a word with him for making Rory sulk around the halls of Chilton for the last few months. It wasn't right to see her beautiful blue eyes so lifeless. "Don't you think so Tris?"

Startled from his thoughts, Tristan said, "Oh yeah, absolutely." I have no idea what this airhead is talking about, he thought.

Completely oblivious to the fact that she was being ignored, the girl continued on. "I know! It's going to be the social event of the year. So, you'll pick me up at 7?"

Seeing Rory walking towards her locker, Tristan said, "Um, yeah, sure. I'll see you later."

Obviously pleased with herself, the girl skipped off to talk to her nearby friends. Rory was being closely followed by Paris, and Tristan was looking forward to a show. "Come on Rory. My mom says I have to go and I really need someone who isn't completely mindless to talk to."

"Oh, well, when you put it that way Paris…" Rory said as she started putting away her books for the day.

Rolling her eyes, Paris said, "So I can pick you up at your house? Maybe even borrow an outfit?"

"I don't know Paris. That didn't work out so well last time."

"That was when you were setting me up with that jerk Tristan. You're not planning on doing that again, are you?"

Tristan became very interested, and slowly crept his way closer to the two girls.

"No, I'm not. Okay, I'll go with you, but as soon as the clock hits 10:00, we're out of there, right?"

"Like I'd stay any longer than the required time by my mother. See you later Gilmore."

Paris walked off, leaving Rory muttering to herself. "I can't believe I just got roped into that. I better bring a good book."

"You know Mary, parties are supposed to be fun. No need for books."

Annoyed, Rory said, "Oh yeah, because the last party I attended worked out so well for the both of us. You got dumped and I made a stupid decision."

Pretending to not be hurt by the comment, Tristan said, "I don't know what you're talking about Mary. I thought that party was one of my best."

"Yeah, I'm sure YOU did. I have to catch my bus, so if you would excuse me."

Following her, Tristan said, "You know, I could-"

Not turning around, Rory replied, "No thanks."

Rory had made it to the door, and Tristan yelled, "You didn't even know what I was going to say!"

"Yes, I did!" With that, Rory left the building and headed towards her bus. Tristan just smirked and shook his head in amusement. The prospect of tonight's party just got a lot better.

Lorelai was drinking her coffee at the kitchen table when she took one look at Rory and started laughing.

"What?" Rory asked, looking down at herself.

"Oh, nothing. I just get the Mary reference is all." Lorelai said.

Sighing, Rory said, "I really wish I never told you that. What's wrong with this outfit?"

"Nothing if you're going to church with Mrs. Kim, but a party? Come on Ror, I think we can find something better than that."

Lorelai grabbed Rory's arm and dragged her back into her room. Rummaging through the closet, she came out a minute later with a denim miniskirt and plain black tank top. "See, simple but definitely not plain. Now put it on!"

"Mom, I appreciate the help and all, but I really don't want to get dressed up for a night of sitting on some stranger's couch and reading."

Smiling mischievously, Lorelai said, "Oh, about that, I lost your big purse last week. I guess there won't be any room for a book."

"Oh, don't worry, I can carry it." Rory said, reluctantly pulling on the clothes her mom had handed her.

"Hun, will you please just try to have fun tonight? You've been so down lately, you could use a little teenage partying."

"If I promise not to bring a book, you promise to lay off me?" Rory asked.

"Of course. Now if I could only get you to promise to dance-"

Lorelai was interrupted by the doorbell. She sighed and went to answer the door, returning with Paris.

"Okay, now what should I wear?" Paris asked.

"I think you better let my mom take this one. If it were up to me, we wouldn't be going to this stupid party." Rory said, while taking her hair down.

"Paris, I have just the thing for you! Hang on one second!" Lorelai ran upstairs and returned a minute later with a black skirt and see-through top with a white camisole under it.

Paris eyed if for a second, and said, "I guess that will work. I'll be back." She headed towards the bathroom to change.

Lorelai grabbed Rory's hand and sat her in front of the mirror. Skillfully, she applied light eyeliner and mascara to Rory's face. "There, perfect."

"Okay, mom. That's enough. I think I'm good to go."

Paris returned in Lorelai's outfit looking shy and uncomfortable. Noticing this, Lorelai said, "Oh, Paris, you look wonderful."

Timidly, Paris said, "Thanks." Pulling on her jacket she turned to Rory and said, "We should probably get going. We'll be back at 10:45 at the latest, trust me."

Walking them out, Lorelai said, "And if you guys get really crazy you can come back at midnight."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the hint mom. I'll see you later." Rory hugged Lorelai goodbye and went off to Paris' BMW.

They pulled into a Chilton student's mansion in Hartford about 45 minutes later. "Let's get this over with." Rory said, following Paris to the door.

As soon as they walked in, Rory was met with the smell of alcohol and smoke. She immediately wished that she hadn't been talked out of taking her book with her. Once they had found the only non-alcoholic drinks in the place, Rory and Paris were at a loss of what to do. So, they stood by the refreshment table talking. Tristan, who had just arrived with Lauren, the annoying girl from earlier, took notice of Rory right away. He had heard her say she was coming, but never actually expected her to show up. She was standing talking to Paris, looking incredibly bored, but also incredibly beautiful. Her skirt was just the right length and her simple top was more flattering than any of the flashy outfits that the girls around him were poured into. Excusing himself to Lauren, he headed over to the drinks table.

"My, my, my, if it isn't Mary and Paris. At a party, who would have thought?"

Shooting him an annoyed look, Paris said, "Oh get lost, DuGrey. Don't you have some slut to tend to?"

"Oh, she'll be there when I get back, trust me." Tristan took a swig of his newly acquired beer, and gave Rory an appreciative, but subtle, glance over.

"She's a lucky girl, that one. How long will this one last?" Paris asked, while Rory remained standing silently giving Tristan a look-over herself. She had to admit, Tristan in jeans and a t-shirt was definitely flattering. Willing the thoughts out of her mind, she decided to concentrate on the punch that was in her hand.

"Jealous, Paris? Cause, you know I can always make room for the two of you."

"Eh, no thanks. I wouldn't want to catch anything." Paris said disgustedly. She had obviously gotten over her crush, Tristan thought. Now, Rory on the other hand was being awfully quiet.

"Mary, you are looking awfully good tonight." Tristan said, turning his complete focus to Rory.

Uncomfortable by his attention, Rory said, "Thanks. I think I'm going to go find a bathroom."

Before he could say another word, Rory was already on her way. Glancing around, bored, Tristan's eyes landed on the punch bowl and the cup that Rory had just handed Paris. "You do know that is alcoholic, right?"

"I do, but Rory doesn't. I thought I would just let her have one, let her loosen up a little." Paris said guiltily.

"Paris, I don't know if that is such a good idea." Tristan said.

"Oh, relax DuGrey, it won't kill her."

Tristan just shook his head and walked away in search of his friends. Or, actually in search of Rory. He had just decided that it was his job to watch out for Rory tonight. He knew that she wasn't a drinker, but he also didn't want to embarrass her by telling her the truth. He would just make sure she didn't overdue it. Now he actually had an excuse to look at her all night, something he would never say no to.

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please, please review because I need feedback to know how to continue! Thanks for reading and I should update soon if it turns out anyone likes it!**


	2. A Dancing Paris?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything involving Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks to those of you that reviewed! They really encouraged me to write some more! This story is being updated so quickly because I would like to finish it before I go back from break. I know that if I don't, I will neglect it in favor of my schoolwork, and then who knows when it will get done!**

Rory emerged from the bathroom and went in search of Paris. When she finally found her, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Paris was in the middle of the dance floor, dancing with a boy that Rory had never seen before. It looked like she was enjoying herself, which only made Rory feel even more out of place. Nervously looking around, she finally decided on getting some more punch.

"Thirsty Mary?"

Rory rolled her eyes and said, "Nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Just thought you might want to pace yourself is all." Tristan cautiously glanced at Rory, who was already in the process of draining her second cup. Maybe he should just tell her the truth.

"Gee, thanks for the advice, but I think I can handle some punch." Rory didn't wait for a response and walked away from Tristan. She had no idea where she was going, but she did know that she had to get away from him. She was starting to feel a little funny and his close presence wasn't helping the situation. Finally deciding she needed to sit down, she found a couch and plopped down to keep a watchful eye on Paris.

After three or four songs, Paris came running up to Rory and excitedly said, "Rory, you have to get out there. It's so much fun."

Rory gave her a confused look and said, "Paris? Are you off your meds or something? You hate dancing; you call it 'a moronic mating ritual.' And who is that guy?"

"Oh, that's Peter and before you start, he is actually quite smart. You'd be surprised how easy it is to talk politics on the dance floor. And I resent that comment about my meds. What, I can't have fun like everyone else?" Paris stomped back to the dance floor, leaving Rory completely speechless. Why was everyone at this party having more fun than she was?

Across the room, Tristan hadn't taken his eyes off of Rory since she walked away from him. He laughed to himself when he saw the horrified look on her face while watching Paris and that guy dancing. Rory was alone now and seemed to be sulking on a couch. Unable to resist himself, he headed over to talk to her. Rory felt movement at her side and sighed when she realized who it was. "Look, I already told you that I don't want to dance. Please just leave me alone."

The boy didn't seem deterred however, and said, "Oh come on, it'll be fun. One dance won't kill you."

He began pulling Rory to the dance floor, but was stopped by a tap on his shoulder. "Hey buddy, I think she said no, so back off."

He was about to protest when he realized who was talking to him. "Fine, I'll leave the Mary for you, DuGrey."

Rory, looking embarrassed, said a quiet "Thanks" and headed back towards the punchbowl. Tristan sighed and followed her, not wanting her to drink another glass.

"Hey Mare, why don't you work up a real thirst and dance with me?" Tristan asked, his voice full of hope that she would both agree to dance with him and stop drinking.

"What makes you think that I would ever want to do that?" Rory asked, already filling her third glass.

Smirking, Tristan said, "Because you don't want to be the only one here not having fun. Even Paris is being more social than you, and that's saying something."

Rory bit her lip as if in deep thought and said, "I can't dance. There, you happy now?"

"You can't lie to me Mary. I saw you at the Winter Dance with Bagboy and you seemed fine with the idea of dancing." He noticed her flinch at the mention of Dean and instantly regretted saying it.

"Yeah, well that was a slow dance with my boyfriend." She stopped and motioned towards the dance floor and said, "Definitely not the same thing."

A smile grew on Tristan's face and he said, "Well, we'll just have to wait for a slow one then, won't we?"

"I'll tell you what. If they ever play a slow song, you can come find me." Rory said, thinking she would never have to go through with the agreement. She had been here for over an hour, and still hadn't heard a single slow song.

"Oh, you can count on it Mary." Tristan watched as she rolled her eyes and walked off again, with another full glass. His plan of not letting her drink anymore definitely wasn't going to work if she just sat on the couch. Looking around the room, he spotted the DJ, and walked over to make a request.

It took slipping the guy a twenty, but he finally accomplished his task. The current song ended, and a slow one came on in its place. He had to admit, it was cheesy, but the only song he could think of was "You and Me" by Lifehouse. It had been on the radio constantly and now it was actually going to be good for something.

Looking across the room, he saw Rory's face grow nervous. She stood and looked as if she was going to run out the front door. Tristan quickly made his way through the crowd and over to her. "Well, Mare, it looks like this is our dance."

Looking extremely uncomfortable, Rory said, "Fine, but only one Bibleboy. Then I'm outta her right at 10:00."

Tristan gave her a funny look and led her to the dance floor. He grabbed one of her hands and placed the other on the small of her back. Rory hesitantly put her free hand on his shoulder and they began slowly moving to the music. Rory was trying her hardest to look anywhere put at Tristan. Whenever she did occasionally catch his gaze, she found it hard to tear her eyes away. He really did have an amazing set of eyes. "Hey Rory, I have to ask, why did you call me Bibleboy a second ago?"

"Oh, uh, it's just a nickname my mom came up with. I can't believe I said that to you out loud." Tristan felt her tense up and she said, "Hey, you called me Rory."

Tristan smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess I did." They continued dancing in silence for a little while.

"For someone who doesn't dance, I must say you are doing an exceptional job Mary."

Rory let out a nervous laugh and said, "So, it's back to Mary?"

"Old habits die hard."

"Yes, of course." Rory said smiling.

The song ended and a fast one began, causing Rory to drop Tristan's hand and take a step back. "Well, that was one dance. I'm going to go find Paris."

Tristan silently nodded his head and watched as she walked away. He instantly missed the warmth of her body under his hands. He was just happy that he finally got a dance with her. He had wanted to do that ever since he saw her dance with Dean, and he definitely wasn't disappointed. After a few minutes of standing on the dance floor with a goofy grin on his face, he remembered that he needed to watch out for Rory. He had started to notice a difference in her speech earlier, and he knew she would just be getting worse.

"Come on Paris, its 10:15, don't you want to get out of here?" Rory was practically pleading with Paris. Her head hurt and she was starting to feel a little dizzy.

"Just wait half an hour Gilmore. I'm busy." Paris replied from her spot on the dance floor with Peter.

"Eh, you owe me Paris." Rory returned to her place on the couch, happy to be sitting.

After a few more minutes of watching the dancers, Rory glanced at her watch and noticed that she had to concentrate just to read the numbers. Looking around the room, she noticed that almost every other kid at the party had a glass of red liquid. Surely not everyone at the party would not be drinking. Then, it dawned on her. How could she have been so stupid? No wonder she was feeling so sick and she kept going back for more. Standing up and steadying herself, she stormed over to Paris. "Paris, how could you let me drink?"

"Rory, I'm sorry, but you needed to loosen up a little bit." Paris stopped dancing and moved off the dance floor to talk to Rory.

"Oh, you're one to talk." Rory said, glaring at Paris.

"You're right, that's why I had some too. Why else would I be dancing like this?"

"I can't believe this Paris. You're supposed to drive me home."

Guilt grew on Paris' face and she said, "You're right. I didn't think about that. What are we going to do?" She was back into full Paris panic mode.

"I could call my mom to come and get us." Rory just wanted to get out of there. She knew Lorelai would be mad, but she also knew she would understand.

"No way. She might call my parents and then I'm dead." Looking around the room, she finally said, "I know! We can get a ride from Peter, he hasn't been drinking."

"Paris, I am not getting into the car of some guy you just met." Rory answered, completely surprised by the way Paris was acting.

"Well, I will then. I wanted to stay longer anyways." Paris said and returned to the dance floor without giving Rory another glance.

Rory couldn't remember the last time she felt so angry and scared at the same time. Rummaging through her purse, she retrieved her cell phone to call Lorelai. Unable to get a signal, she went out the backdoor and onto the porch. She started dialing, but jumped in surprise when she noticed she wasn't alone. "Whoa, there Mary. I know I'm good looking, but that's a new response even for me."

Rory suddenly grew very angry and walked towards him pointing her finger at his face. "You! You knew that I was drinking and didn't stop me. You wanted to get me drunk so I would dance with you."

Tristan's smile quickly faded and he said, "Rory, no, I was just trying to keep an eye on you so you wouldn't get too bad."

"Oh, I'll bet. What else were you planning on doing to me?"

Despite himself, Tristan became angry and said, "You think an awful lot of yourself Gilmore. You also must think pretty low of me if you think I would stoop to that to get a girl. Newsflash Mary, I can get any girl I want. Get over yourself, will you?"

Rory's mouth opened in an 'o' formation and she stood there not knowing what to say. Finally closing her mouth, her face became indignant and she said, "Just get away from me then. If you can have any girl, why do you always follow me around bugging me?"

"You know what? You're right. I don't know why I ever bothered. See you around Mary." Tristan shot her one last smirk and went back inside.

Shocked and relieved that he left, Rory finally dialed the phone and called her mom. "Mom? Do you think you can come pick me up?" After a pause she said, "I'll explain when you get here, just come fast, please?"

**Hey, I hope you don't all hate Tristan now. I just didn't want to make him too out of character. I think Tristan would get very defensive and put up a wall like that. Never fear though, this will be a TRORY. Also, I know Paris was out of character, but I need her to act a little differently for the purposes of this story. Please, please review! I'm a little unsure about this chapter. **


	3. Get out of My Head

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey, I'm back again! Thanks so much for all of the reviews! You guys have definitely encouraged me and made me smile! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint, I wasn't really sure how this one should go!**

Rory was sitting on the front steps when she saw the Jeep pull up to the house. Lorelai got out and ran over to Rory with a panicked look on her face. "Ror, what happened? I got here as fast as I could."

The guilt on Rory's face grew and she quietly said, "I accidentally drank punch that was spiked. I didn't realize it until I had already had a few. Paris did too, but apparently she did it intentionally. She couldn't give me a ride home and said she would go home with a kid she met tonight."

"What? Are we talking about the same Paris here?"

Rory nodded her head and said, "I know, I couldn't believe it either. I'm so sorry mom, but I didn't think you'd want me getting a ride from some stranger."

"No, you're right hun. But Paris sure as hell isn't getting a ride from him either. Let's go."

Rory frowned and got up to follow Lorelai who was already well into the party. She should have known this would happen. Then again, it will be great payback to see the look on Paris' face. Rory observed while Lorelai went straight onto the dance floor and up to Paris. "Paris, we're leaving now!"

Shocked and drunk, Paris said, "Um, hi, Lorelai. This is Peter, he is going to give me a ride."

"Oh, hi there Pete. Thanks for the offer, but I can handle this. Bye bye now." Peter just glanced between Lorelai and Paris, and deciding that Lorelai looked far scarier at the moment, gave a slight wave and walked off.

"Lorelai! Why'd you do that?" Paris asked, and then slightly wobbled into Rory. Rory grabbed her arm and helped Lorelai lead her to the car. "This is so embarrassing! I never should have taken you with me Gilmore!"

Lorelai looked at Paris, who was squished between her and Rory, and said, "Oh, don't worry about that kid. I don't think my daughter will be going anywhere with you any time soon."

Paris just snorted, laid her head against Rory's shoulder and fell asleep. The ride to Paris' house was spent in silence, with the exception of the few times Paris would shout out facts in her sleep. When they arrived at Paris' house, both Gilmores grabbed and arm and led Paris to the front door. Rory searched through Paris' purse and found her house key. After they made sure she was in bed, they quietly left and headed back to Stars Hollow.

The weekend had been spent the same way as any other, filled with movies and junk food. Rory didn't mention Tristan at all and just told Lorelai that she had spent the party watching Paris dance, which they both found very entertaining.

By the time Monday rolled around, Rory was definitely not looking forward to going to school. She had Paris and Tristan to contend with, which wasn't actually out of the ordinary, but she knew this would be different. After two cups of coffee and then two more of Lorelai's, she finally made it to Chilton. She went to her locker and was surprised to find it devoid of both Tristan and Paris. Sighing in relief, she made her way to first period, which happened to be one of three classes she shared with Tristan. She sat at her usual seat, and started reading before class started. A few minutes later, she saw Tristan enter out of the corner of her eye. She looked up from her book to see Tristan bidding a goodbye to his latest conquest. Flustered, Rory tried to go back to reading her book as if she didn't care. Why did she care? It's not like this wasn't a normal thing to see.

Rory's reaction did not go unnoticed by Tristan. He smirked when he saw her trying desperately to act as if she was interested in her book. Giving Sarah another kiss for show, he gave her a slight push out the door and went to his seat, which was behind Rory. The calculus lecture began, and Rory tried her hardest to concentrate on the notes. Tristan was tapping her chair to a silent beat, and it took all of her self-control to not turn around and hit him. Towards the end of class, Tristan leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Have fun on Friday, Mary?" Rory swatted him away and he just leaned back in his seat with a victorious grin on his face.

Rory couldn't understand why he was acting like nothing had happened. Maybe it really wasn't as big of a deal as she had made it out to be all weekend. She was a little tipsy, so she could have imagined it much worse than it actually was. Tristan on the other hand, was trying his hardest to act like everything was normal. He'd show Rory that she means nothing to him and Friday night had no effect on him whatsoever.

The bell finally rang, and Rory practically sprang out of her seat and into the hallway. Her relief was short-lived, because as soon as she arrived at her locker, she was met by Paris. "Oh, hello Rory."

"Uh, hi, Paris."

"You know, there's a couple kissing over there. Should I get Lorelai on the phone?" Paris asked, grinning.

Rory let out a deep breath and said, "You know what Paris? You deserved what happened to you, so why don't you just go torture someone else?"

Paris looked pleased with her self and walked off towards her locker. Rory began unloading her books when she took notice of the kissing couple mentioned earlier. Of course, it was Tristan and his latest bimbo. She didn't know why it was bothering her so much, but she felt like she had to get out of there. With her eyes set forward, she walked right past them and everyone else and into the library.

Thankful for study period, she grabbed one of her favorite Jane Austen books and sat down against the bookshelves. She hadn't made it through three pages before she heard giggling. Annoyed, she looked up from her book and saw Tristan and the girl from before going at it a few feet away. She let out a loud, frustrated sigh and stormed out of the library. Needing some fresh air, she went outside and sat in the courtyard.

He saw me go in the library and that's why he brought her in there. Why was he trying extra-hard to make my life miserable today? She laid her head down on the table and closed her eyes, willing this day to be over. Sure enough, she heard someone sit next to her. Not lifting her head, she said, "Whoever you are, go away."

"Now, that's not very friendly, Mary."

Rory lifted her head from the table and put it in her hands. "Why are you torturing me, why? I thought you said you didn't even want to bother with me anymore."

"Relax Mare. I just saw you throw a little fit in the library and wanted to make sure you we're okay. But, now that I see you are, I will leave you alone." Tristan began to stand, but was surprised when Rory grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"Can you just answer one question?" Rory asked.

"Um, sure." Tristan was nervous, a feeling he wasn't accustomed to.

"Did you take that girl into the library because you knew I was in there?"

"Now, there you go again. Thinking that the world revolves around you." Tristan said, his voice becoming bitter.

Rory sighed and said, "Just answer the question Tristan."

Tristan raised his finger to his forehead as if in deep thought and said, "Tell you what? You answer a question of mine, and I'll answer yours."

"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this, but fine."

Tristan smiled at her tone and asked, "Why would it bother you either way?"

Rory definitely wasn't expecting that question. It was actually an excellent question; one that she had been asking herself.

Tristan, tired of waiting for her response, said, "Well?"

Rory opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Tristan smirked and said, "Nevermind. I got it."

He tried to stand again, but Rory finally said, "What? What do you get Tristan?"

Seeing her face full of confusion and anger, he said, "Don't worry about it, Mare. I'll see you around."

He was already on his way back into the school, but Rory got up and ran after him. She grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "Does this mean that you're going to leave me alone?"

"Is that what you want?"

Rory looked into his eyes and thought she saw disappointment. Then as fast as she saw it, it was gone and replaced with the same wall. "Yes."

"Okay, then. Later, Mare." Tristan patted her head, causing her to flinch at the childish gesture. He gave her another smirk and went back inside the building, leaving her standing there. The whole encounter had left her even more confused. He can go from caring to ass in two seconds flat, she thought. Despite all her better judgments, she couldn't stop thinking that all of his actions were just a defense mechanism. Every now and then, she saw something in his eyes. Something that she just couldn't get out of her head.

**Was it awful? I hope not, I just am not sure about this one! I could really use some feedback so please do me a huge favor and review! As always, thanks so much for continuing to give me a chance!**


	4. Is it Really Worth it?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a while.

**Yes, it's another update! I really am trying to get this done before I have to go back to school. Yet again, I have to thank the reviewers! I am so glad you guys are enjoying this story and all your comments mean a lot to me!**

Rory made it through the rest of the school day without talking to Tristan again. She saw him in her classes, but she didn't so much as glance at him and he did the same to her. Sitting on the bus on the way back to Stars Hollow, she attempted to read. After reading the same line about ten times, she decided it was a lost cause and closed the book. The bus finally came to a stop and she made her way off and towards Luke's. On her way, she passed Doose's, where she saw Dean kissing a blonde girl. Well, he sure moved on quickly, she thought. Maybe that girl will do him the pleasure of saying "I love you." It still angered her to think that Dean broke up with her because she wasn't ready to say those words. It's not that easy for everyone; especially when the only man in your life is your father, who walks in and out as he pleases. She walked past the couple quickly, trying her best to go unnoticed. If they did notice her, they certainly didn't care enough to stop.

Sitting at the counter, she said, "Luke, coffee please?"

"Rory, you really should-" Luke started, but stopped when he saw the look on Rory's face. "Sure thing." He poured her a mug and placed a doughnut in front of her.

Rory gave him a slight smile and said, "Thanks."

"You okay?"

Rory silently nodded her head and Luke took the hint and left her alone. After drowning her first cup, she asked Luke for another, and he didn't protest. That's what she loved about Luke; he could always tell when the Gilmores were in need of coffee without a lecture. A few minutes later, Lorelai walked in and sat next to Rory. "Hey kid, how was school?"

"Fine." Rory said as normally as possible.

"Oh hun, did Paris give you a hard time about Friday? I'm sorry." Lorelai patted her hand and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry about it mom, Paris was Paris. It was just a long day and I'm tired."

Lorelai smiled and excitedly said, "Well then, I have the perfect cure for a bad day! Let's get some food to go and watch re-runs of _Saved by the Bell_. I know how much you love that show!"

"Haha mom, very funny. But if you don't mind, I think I'll just do my homework and go to bed."

Lorelai gave her a concerned look, but knew not to push it. "Okay sweets. Why don't you head home and I'll catch up with you later with the food."

"Okay. Don't forget the coffee." Rory stood up, gathered her things and headed home, deciding to take the long route that didn't involve passing Doose's.

Rory made it home and finished all of her calculus homework before Lorelai got home. They ate their food in front on the TV and Rory excused herself to her room. After finishing the rest of her homework, she went to bed early.

Rory woke up the next morning and realized that she was running late. Not having enough time to get some coffee, she made it to the bus just in time, but in a terrible mood. After getting off the bus, she headed straight for her locker, which unfortunately was not free of people this morning. There stood Paris with her hands full of paper and a face full of anger.

"Why, good morning to you too, Paris." Rory said, and motioned for her to move out of her way.

Paris stood firm in front of Rory's locker and said, "Did you forget something this morning? Like, say, the Franklin meeting?"

Recognition grew on Rory's face and under her breath, she said, "Shit."

Paris smiled at this and said, "Well, congratulations Gilmore. You do know a bad word or two."

"Look Paris, I'm sorry I missed the meeting. I've been having a rough couple of days. Can't you just fill me in on what I missed and leave me alone?"

Paris pretended to think for a minute and said, "Hmm, I don't think so. But thanks for asking." She then turned on her heel and left. Rory just shook her head and went about getting things out of her locker.

Rory was currently sitting in first period, the class that she has come to dread. Tristan entered and took his regular seat, but paid no attention to her. Rory couldn't decide if she was relieved or angered by Tristan's new behavior towards her. Deciding it wasn't worth thinking about, she focused her attention on the teacher. This, however, was more difficult than usual. All of the last few days' events had really taken a toll on her. She rested her head on her hand, and dozed off somewhere between functions and differential equations.

Tristan was sitting behind Rory, twirling his pencil in boredom. This class was even more unbearable now that he had decided to not bug Rory. Even though he wasn't bugging her, he was still stealing a glance at her every now and then. That was when he noticed that her hand wasn't furiously scribbling down notes, but under her asleep head. After a moment of silent debate, he tapped her on the shoulder. She woke up in a start and looked around the room. Finally re-gaining her composure, she returned to taking notes. The bell rang and Rory laid her head down on her desk, sighing. She had missed almost all of the day's notes. As students began filing out of the room, Tristan stood and whispered in her ear, "Restless night Mary?"

Rory slowly raised her head and glared at him. "Oh, so you are talking to me? Just great. I don't suppose you took any notes?"

Tristan smirked at her and said, "Even if I did, you didn't say please." He laughed to himself and exited the classroom. Once in the hallway, he started silently berating himself. He couldn't even make it through one period without talking to her. He chose to blame it on the fact that she seemed so out of it. That was definitely not the Rory we all know and love.

During study period, Rory once again found herself in the library, but this time at a desk. She had begged Madeline for her notes and was taking the time to copy them. "Glad to see you got those notes after all. I would hate to see you fall behind Mary."

Rory looked up from her notebook and said, "You know, I miss that whole half a day when you weren't talking to me. It was really peaceful."

"As I said before Mary, old habits die hard. I just can't resist myself."

Rory couldn't help her self and smiled. She hated to admit it, but she was glad that Tristan wasn't freezing her out anymore. "What do I have to do to get you to stop calling me Mary?"

Tristan wagged his eyebrows and suggestively and Rory quickly said, "Wait! Forget I said that!"

"Now how could I forget something like that?" Tristan leaned back in his chair and laughed at her uneasiness under his gaze.

Rory went back to her notes in hopes that he would get bored and leave. When she looked up and saw his lazy smirk staring at her, she stood and walked to the back of the library. Hoping against hope that he wouldn't follow her, she resumed her earlier task.

Once she finished, she grabbed her assignment notebook to check on this week's assignments. Something fell out, and when she went to grab it, her heart fell. It was an old picture of her and Dean from the winter dance. She had kept it there when they were still dating and must have forgotten to add it to the box. The memory of Dean kissing another girl came to her mind and tears welled up in her eyes. She angrily wiped at her eyes and crumpled the picture up and threw it. "Why does it still hurt? Why does it feel like everything is going so wrong?" She asked to herself.

The bell rang signaling the end of second period, and she wiped her eyes dry and made her way to her next class. Just as the bell rang, Tristan walked in. On his way to his seat in the back of the class, he dropped the crumpled picture on Rory's desk and whispered, "He's not worth it."

**I was going to continue, but I decided now would be a good place to stop. Good? Bad? Please, please let me know and review! Thanks!**


	5. What was that For?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with the Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Wow, you guys are really amazing! I really appreciate those of you that have taken the time to review and I am definitely trying to keep everyone's advice in mind! So, here it is: yet another update! I am determined to stay true to my word on finishing this!**

Rory looked down at the crumpled picture in shock. She couldn't believe that he had found it and even more surprising was what he had said. There seemed to be genuine sincerity in his voice and he didn't exploit the opportunity to mock her. She grabbed the balled up picture and shoved it in her backpack. She was about a second away from getting up and leaving when the teacher began the lecture. Deciding she could handle staying, she went about taking notes as if everything was normal.

Tristan anxiously watched her reaction from the back of the classroom. He knew what he did risked Rory flipping out on him. Her face was hard to read, but from where he was sitting, he didn't see any sign of panic. She had quickly disposed of the picture and went about taking notes. Relieved, Tristan was able to relax and at least attempt to concentrate on what the teacher was saying.

As soon as the bell rang, Rory stood from her seat and walked straight to the back of the room. Tristan, who was talking to his friend Brian, stopped suddenly when Rory appeared at his side. After about a minute of silence, Brian took the hint and gave Tristan a confused look before walking out of the room. "Rory, look, I'm" Tristan started.

Rory knelt down beside his desk and whispered in his ear, "Thank you." Then, she stood up and walked over to her desk where she gathered her things and exited the classroom. Tristan remained sitting, completely taken aback by Rory's reaction. That was definitely not what I expected, he thought. Students began entering the room for the next class, and he finally got up and left.

Rory spent today's study period in the Franklin office in a feeble attempt to get back on Paris' good graces. Tristan had gone to the library, just to check if Rory was there again. Disappointed in not seeing her, he found his usual group of friends. After spending 45 minutes pretending to listen to whatever the latest discussion was, he went to the rest of his morning classes. It wasn't until lunch that he saw Rory again.

Tristan walked into the cafeteria and looked in the direction of Rory's usual table. Expecting to see her sitting there with her headphones on and reading, he was surprised to find the table empty. After giving his friends some lame excuse about homework, he headed to the library. Not seeing Rory there either, he started to wonder if she left early. In one last attempt to find her, he went outside, where he found her sitting in the courtyard.

"You're not hiding from me, are you Mary?"

Rory smiled slightly and said, "Hide from you, now what would give you that idea?"

Tristan sat by her side at the table and said, "Well, usually I could offer a few reasons, but today I'm a little confused."

"Really? By what?"

Tristan smiled at her attempt to be confused. "By you, Mary."

Rory felt herself blush as he moved closer. "Well, I'm sorry if I confused you."

"Well, all that can be solved if you answer something for me."

Rory sighed and said, "Oh no, we're not going to do the question game again, are we?"

Tristan laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Why not? It worked out so well last time."

"Haha, very funny. Now just ask me already."

Tristan's voice became serious and he said, "Why did you thank me? I expected something a little more violent."

Rory wasn't sure how to answer his question. She hadn't planned on thanking him, it just kind of happened. Something about the tone in his voice made her feel like he cared. "Um, I'm not sure."

"Come on Mare, you can do better than that." Tristan urged. He wasn't going to let her get out of this that easily.

"Because… I thought you were trying to make me feel better. You were probably just messing with me again though, right?"

Tristan could see her becoming extremely uneasy as she began staring at her shoes. "No, Rory. I was just telling you the truth. You shouldn't be crying over that guy. As I said before, he's not worth it. You're better than that."

Rory looked up and said, "How did you know I was crying?"

"Someone would have to be blind to not notice how you have been walking around here. Like someone shot your dog."

"Oh, I don't have a dog, it wouldn't be able to survive in our house."

Tristan laughed at her flustered response and said, "You know what I mean. All I wanted to tell you was that you should cheer up. You're not any fun when you're sad."

"Oh, I see. You just want me back to normal so you can torment me and not feel guilty?" Rory smiled; she was actually starting to feel better.

"Exactly. Now, tomorrow morning you better be back to normal, got it?" He stood up and waited for her response.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try."

"I guess I can accept that for now. See you later Mary." He turned to go back into the school, but stopped when he heard footsteps behind him.

Rory walked up from behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, turning him around. He gave her a quizzical look and said, "What?"

She didn't answer, but instead wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Surprised, he slowly put his arms around her back and smiled. "What was that for?"

He felt her shrug and she whispered in his ear, "Just because. Thanks again."

They pulled apart and Tristan couldn't stop smiling. "Oh, anytime Mary, anytime."

"Oh great, I just boosted your ego, didn't I?"

Tristan mocked surprise and said, "From a little hug? Please, Mary. You have to stop going around thinking you are so awesome."

Rory just laughed at him and said, "Yeah, yeah DuGrey. I'll try to keep that in mind."

Tristan opened the door and said, "Please do, Mare. I'll see you later."

Rory opened her mouth to say goodbye, but he was already gone. She couldn't help but smile. He was always joking, but she was beginning to see that he had a good heart. Now, if only I could figure out why he hides behind his jokes and sarcasm, she thought. Yup, Tristan DuGrey was definitely a mystery.

Rory got off her bus at the end of the day and entered Luke's in a far better mood than the previous day. "Well, it's good to see you happy again." Luke said as he poured her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks, I had a pretty good day." Rory said, smiling.

**And another one complete! I hope you guys enjoyed this. Everyone has so many different ways of perceiving Tristan, but personally I love to see the sweet side along with the joking side. If you review and tell me what you thought and what you'd like to see, maybe I will update tomorrow! Thanks again!**


	6. Whatsername Ruined it

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey, you guys must think I'm insane for updating everyday! What can I say, your reviews are encouraging! I am pretty confident in saying that I will be able to achieve my goal of finishing this before break ends. Thanks to all the reviewers, you guys are all so nice to me!**

Over the past week, Rory was definitely showing some improvement in her mood. This was something that overjoyed Lorelai, but she was beginning to wonder where the turn-around came from. She continually grilled Rory on her day's events, but she never let on to anything being out of the ordinary. In truth, things really weren't all that different; she did see and talk to Tristan, but certainly nothing earth-shattering. She was just happy to have all thoughts of Dean out of her head. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but she was thinking about him less and less everyday.

Tristan had been trying his best to remain civil to Rory, while at the same time trying to act normal towards her. He would only occasionally come by her locker and tease her about the usual things. To everyone around them, it seemed like they were acting the same way as they always had. And while 'normal' was what they were both trying to achieve, things were definitely different. Rory pretended that she didn't notice the still constant flow of girls being pushed up against lockers, and Tristan pretended that he wasn't thinking about Rory the entire time he was kissing someone else.

Rory was at her locker on the end of the day on Friday. Once she finished loading her backpack, she shut the door and jumped at seeing Tristan leaning against the nearest locker. He grabbed her arms to steady her and said, "Whoa, little jumpy there, Mary?"

After realizing he was still holding her, she gave him a push and said, "What can I help you with today, Tristan?"

"Relax, I was just wondering what your big weekend plans were." Tristan awkwardly ran his hand through his hair and waited for her response.

"Oh, I thought I'd fit in a kegger in-between studying. You?"

Tristan laughed and said, "Actually the same, only minus the kegger."

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Rory asked, looking at him surprised.

"Well, I really just couldn't decide on a date. I've had to beat the girls off with a stick lately."

Rory rolled her eyes and muttered, "Didn't look that way from here."

A smirk grew on Tristan's face and he turned so he was standing in front of her. "What was that, Mary? Is someone jealous?"

Rory blushed and took notice of how close he was to her. She attempted to take a step back, but realized she had no where to go. "Me? Hardly."

Tristan moved to put his hands on either side of Rory, trapping her against the lockers. She swallowed nervously and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, personal bubble there, Tristan."

Tristan remained in his position and leaned forward and whispered, "Are you sure you're not jealous? You look a little nervous to me."

"Maybe because you're pinning me against a locker."

"Just say the word Mare, and I'll move." Rory just stared at him, not sure if she actually wanted him to move. Finally, she came up with a better idea. She grabbed his face and pulled it down to hers, giving him a quick, but sweet kiss. Tristan stood, staring at her completely surprised.

"Thought I could get you to stop calling me Mary." She said and smiled playfully.

"Hate to break it to you Mare, but it's gonna take more than a little peck to do that." Tristan whispered in her ear, purposely letting her feel his warm breath on her neck.

Rory laughed and lightly hit him on the chest. Tristan was about to move in for a better kiss, but was interrupted when he heard, "Tris, come on, what are you doing with her?"

Groaning, he lifted his arms, freeing Rory. He looked over at his disruption and said, "Hang on one second, Jessica."

The girl laughed and said, "It's Jenna." Rory shook her head in disbelief and walked away from them and towards the door. Tristan jogged after her and said, "Where you going Mary?"

Angrily, Rory said, "I can see you have your hands full. Don't mind me."

"What? Her? Forget about that." Tristan said, sitting next to her on the bench at the bus stop.

"Oh, right, you mean the girl whose name you can't even remember? The one that just hours ago you had pushed against a locker? You are such a jerk, Tristan."

Tristan knew that he had really ruined any slim chance he had with Rory. The look on her face was one of pure disgust and hatred. Not knowing a better way to handle things, he said, "She's not the only one I had pushed against a locker."

Rory opened her mouth in shock and said, "You know what? I am done bothering with you. You can go back to your thoughts on how I'm not worth your time, because clearly I'm nothing to you."

Tristan was about to protest when the bus pulled up. Rory stood and boarded the bus, not giving him another look. She sat at a window seat, and was biting her lip in a desperate attempt to keep her tears in. Tristan was still sitting on the bench, staring up at her. The moment the bus moved out of the parking lot, she began crying silently. As quickly as she had started, she forced herself to stop. There is no way that Tristan DuGrey is worth this, she thought.

Tristan finally rose from the bench and headed back into the school. He ignored the annoying girl that was calling after him as he walked towards his car. All he could think about was what could have happened if she had never interrupted them. The only reason he had been bothering with her in the first place was to make Rory jealous. Well, that plan certainly backfired, he thought as he drove home.

Rory got home a while later to find an empty house and a message from Emily, canceling dinner. Relieved, she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. She just wanted this day and the past few months to go away. When Lorelai came home, she found Rory asleep in her room. Noticing the dried tears on her face, she laid down next to Rory. Rory felt the movement and woke up saying, "I guess I'm not worth it."

Lorelai stroked Rory's hair and said, "Honey, what do you mean you're not worth it?"

She felt tears coming down her face once again and said, "Dean didn't think I was worth it and Tristan basically told me the same thing."

"Oh, hun, I know that's not true."

Rory took a deep breath and wiped at her eyes. Sitting up, she faced Lorelai and said, "Well, that's sure what it feels like lately."

"Ror, I don't know what happened, but trust me, you are definitely worth a lot."

Rory smiled sadly and said, "Yeah, well, you're my mom. You have to say that."

"Excuse me? I am not a liar missy. Now get out of bed, we have some ice cream to eat!"

Rory wrapped Lorelai into a hug and said, "Thanks, mom."

"Anytime babe. Now let's go discuss how we can make this Tristan kid pay."

Rory laughed and followed Lorelai into the kitchen. "You know what mom? Tristan DuGrey is definitely not worth it."

Lorelai smiled, but couldn't help but notice the sadness in her daughter's eyes. Whoever this kid is, he has certainly done a number on her, she thought.

**Hmm… Not sure how I feel about this one. Angsty, I know! This chapter was written about three different times, each one going a completely different way. The one that was almost posted ended with Tristan and Rory happily kissing, which seemed way too soon for me. Another one involved them studying, which I thought was kind of cliché. So, I beg of you… A little feedback! Please review!**


	7. Distractions

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Whew! I am relieved about the last chapter. I wasn't feeling too confident in it, but all your reviews were so great and encouraging. So, thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are definitely keeping me motivated. Now, on with the story…**

Tristan and Rory had two very different weekends. Rory's was spent eating as much junk food as humanly possible, watching lots of movies and a shopping trip courtesy of Lorelai. Tristan ended up going to the party with Jenna, because there was no way he would spend the whole weekend sitting around his house moping about some girl. He of course drank too much and treated his date like crap. So, basically it was just an ordinary weekend. The drinking helped him not think about the last party he had been at. Nothing could compare to dancing with Rory, so he didn't even want to bother trying.

On Monday morning, Rory was sitting on the bus convincing herself she was over everything that had happened. At least that's what she had told Lorelai all weekend, which of course they both knew was a lie. Well, even if I'm not over it, I can still pretend everything is normal, Rory thought. So far, she had made it to her locker and her seat in first period without incident. Then, Tristan walked in and took his seat behind her.

In any other situation, Tristan would laugh at Rory's attempt at normalcy. This wasn't the first time she had acted as if he didn't exist, but he knew this was different. He could see the difference in her eyes; they went from annoyed amusement to hurt anger. He expected her change in attitude of course, but it still bothered him to know that if he tried teasing her today, she would probably turn around and slap him.

"Ms. Gilmore? Excuse me, Ms. Gilmore… Do you know the answer or not?" The teacher prodded Rory out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what was the question?" Rory asked sheepishly. She heard Paris snicker in the corner and raise her hand. She was called upon and then sat back with a victorious grin after giving the correct answer. Now Rory really wanted to kill Tristan; that was the first time she had ever spaced out in front of a teacher. She waited for his sarcastic comment to come from behind her, but it never came.

She spent the rest of the class trying desperately to pay attention and get called on again. Even Tristan had provided a correct answer during class, and she was beginning to really lose it. The bell rang, finally putting her out of her misery. She got up and gathered her things as quickly as possible and made her way to her locker. She sighed loudly when she saw Paris coming up to her side. "Well, Gilmore, nice job today. Really."

Rory gave her a fake smile and said, "Gee, thanks Paris. We can't all not have a life like you and spend every second of every day studying." Tristan, who was standing a few feet away, heard her comment and couldn't help but laugh. He was shocked that she said it, but it was great to see Paris get put in her place. Paris' face grew angry and she said, "Oh, I see. Things didn't work out between you and the Playboy over there and you're taking it out on me."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about Paris." Rory said overconfidently. She was really starting to get nervous at the crowd that had started to gather around them. It didn't help that she could see Tristan standing in the corner with a strange smirk on his face.

Paris smiled and said, "We all saw you at the party last week. And on Friday after school? Come on, Gilmore."

Tristan was about to speak up, but was stopped when Rory did first. "Oh, right. I might have been stupid enough to spend time with Tristan, but at least I didn't get drunk and make an ass out of myself in front of some guy and dragged out of there by MY mother."

Paris faltered for a second and then said, "Hmm… I don't think so cupcake. You definitely did make an ass out of yourself in front of some guy. That guy being Tristan who you were stupid enough to think liked you."

Rory frowned and said, "You know what, Paris? You're right, I already said I was stupid. You'd think you of all people could understand that."

Paris pretended to be confused and said, "What are you talking about?"

"Who was 'stupid' enough to have a crush on Tristan and go out with him?" Rory said, smiling at Paris' horrified face.

The crowd was now turned to Tristan, who looked guilty and unsure of what to do. He had two girls fighting about him. He could care less about Paris' feelings; all he cared about was what this was doing to Rory. Finally, he stepped forward and between the two girls. "Okay guys, I think we're done here. Rory, why don't you just go to the library or something?"

Rory laughed and said, "Right, like I'm going to listen to you, the person that caused all of this. You know you don't give a shit about me, so why don't you just find one of your little girlfriends and leave us alone."

Everyone in the crowd, including Paris, was shocked at Rory's outburst. No one at Chilton had every heard her speak that much, let alone swear.

Tristan lowered his voice and said, "You know that's not true Rory. Things got all messed up on Friday. I never wanted that to happen."

Rory, who looked to be on the verge of tears, whispered, "Well, it did." Then, she pushed her away through the crowd and out the front door. The warning bell rang, and the crowd dissipated, leaving just Paris and Tristan.

Tristan scowled at her and said, "Why do you have to be such a bitch to her all the time Paris? You know, I think she was your only real friend."

"Yeah, well, why do you have to be so careless? I think she is the only girl in this whole school that doesn't look at you and see dollar signs." Paris said, and then quickly made her way to class.

Tristan knew that Paris was right; Rory was the only girl that he could ever see himself really caring about. He had no idea what he was going to say, but he went out to the courtyard to try and find Rory.

Rory was sitting at a picnic table, praying that he wouldn't follow her. She sighed when she heard the door open and Tristan appeared. He wordlessly came and sat across from her, not wanting to anger her by sitting too close. Rory spoke first, "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because… I care about you." Tristan said uncertainly.

"Oh yeah, I can tell." Rory said, masking her hurt with anger.

Tristan's face fell and he said, "Rory, you have to understand something about me. I'm not used to actually liking a girl. I don't know how to not be a jerk. With all the other girls, it was just some game."

Rory looked back up at him, staring him hard in the eyes. "That's the thing Tristan. How am I supposed to know that everything you are doing or saying isn't a lie?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you could ever know for sure, but I can tell you that I would never purposely do anything to hurt you." Tristan said, his voice sounding like something he had never heard before.

"But you've already hurt me. A couple of times actually."

"I know, and I've been wishing I could take those things back, but I can't. I just automatically put up this wall when I get close to caring about someone. I think I use it as a way to push people away so they don't hurt me."

Rory looked sad at his admission. She could almost see all the times he's been hurt in his eyes. She silently thanked her mom for getting her away from the society life; it really could mess with people. She got up and sat by him and said, "I'm sorry. I guess I never thought about why you are the way you are."

He laughed a little and said, "Gee, thanks."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just now I can see why you are so defensive. My mom told me what it was like to grow up in your world. I guess I just always assumed it was rich kids complaining."

Tristan smiled and said, "Well... Sometimes it is. It's not always easy being this wealthy and good looking."

Rory laughed and said, "There you go again."

"Hey, I'm a sarcastic guy, what did you expect? Some crying about how daddy never loved me? Not gonna happen."

Rory was happy to see him acting like himself. She really enjoyed seeing his sense of humor when he wasn't using it to hurt her. She knew he was still covering for himself, but she could accept it as long as he told her the truth. "Okay, but you can tell me about it if you want. I'm a good listener."

Tristan smiled at how sweet and caring she was being. He knew that it would be safe to tell her things, and that's all he needed. He gently grabbed her face and turned her towards him. "Thanks, but for now I think I'd rather" He stopped and kissed her softly. She responded and they continued kissing passionately until they felt the need to breathe.

Rory smiled, her forehead resting against his. "I have a feeling you are pretty good at distraction. I might want to stay away from you."

He gave her one more kiss and said, "Nah, my kind of distraction is fun."

**Well, that was a little bit longer than most. This wasn't planned, my fingers just kinda spit it out! I hope you all like it! It had drama and romance, both good things, right? Don't worry, this is definitely not over. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks!**


	8. Coffee is the Key

DISCLAIMER: I still do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey guys! I am so excited after watching tonight's episode, particularly the Logan parts! Anyways, thanks so much again for the reviews. You guys are so awesome! I hope you continue to enjoy and review (hint, hint). **

Rory and Tristan had finally separated long enough to get back to classes. Both were walking around with big grins on their faces. Rory's face fell, however, when she entered her last class of the day: chemistry with Paris. Normally, it would be easy to avoid her, but she was unfortunately her lab partner. She sat down and said, "So, are we going to do this the girly way, or can we just say we're sorry and get over it?"

"I suppose we should just get it over with. I can't afford to get a back grade because I'm fighting with you. How about we just call a truce?" Paris said while getting their materials ready.

Rory smiled gratefully and said, "Okay, truce." The two girls went through the rest of class doing their assignment. They weren't exactly friends, but at least they were on speaking terms. Paris had immediately felt bad after talking to Tristan; she knew he was right about Rory being her only friend. So, she decided someone in her position shouldn't hold stupid grudges about Tristan of all people.

Rory walked out of class smiling once again. She was more than relieved to know that Paris wasn't an enemy again. She walked to her locker, where she saw the familiar sight of Tristan leaning lazily against her locker. Unlike usual, she was happy to see him and walked over and grinned. "Hey." She said, and motioned for him to move so she could get in her locker.

"Well, hello Mary. It has been far too long." Tristan said, still standing in his place.

"Tristan, it's been two periods." She said and finally gave him a little push.

Tristan grabbed his shoulder in mock pain and said, "Geeze Mare, you don't have to abuse me. Just for that, I say I should get a kiss."

Rory looked around the crowded halls and said, "Sorry, I'm not much for PDA." She laughed at the pout that grew on Tristan's face. He continued to silently give her his puppy dog face, and finally she gave in and gave him a quick kiss.

Smirking, he said, "I knew you couldn't resist my charm."

"Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that." Rory finished gathering her things and shut her locker. She began walking towards the side exit, and when Tristan didn't follow she asked, "Aren't you coming?"

"Yes, but we're not going that way Mary."

Rory gave him a confused look and said, "But that's where my bus comes."

"No girlfriend of mine will be taking a bus. Let's go." Tristan grabbed her hand and started leading her towards the student parking lot. When he noticed that Rory wasn't moving, he stopped and said, "What?"

"What did you just call me?" Rory asked, the shock evident in her voice.

Tristan actually looked embarrassed when he answered, "Um, my girlfriend. Is that wrong?" He dropped her hand and ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"Well, I don't know. I guess I just didn't expect it. I mean you're Tristan."

He cocked his head at her and said, "Yes… I am. So?"

"You're Tristan, Playboy Extraordinaire of Chilton and you're calling me your girlfriend." Rory looked at him and could tell he wasn't sure what to do. She had been overjoyed with the way their conversation ended earlier, but she never even thought about the prospect of being Tristan's girlfriend. Is that really what he wanted?

"I'm sorry, I guess I just assumed. No problem." Tristan began walking away, but Rory shouted after him.

"Wait!" Tristan slowly turned around and looked at Rory expectantly. Rory stepped towards him and said, "I just wasn't sure that's what you would want. I mean this whole thing is so new and confusing. How about we just take things slow and figure it out from there?"

After a few moments of silence, Tristan finally put Rory out of her misery and said, "Okay, I guess that sounds like a good plan."

Rory smiled and grabbed his hand, walking towards the student parking lot. "So, about this ride?"

Tristan smirked and said, "Yes?"

"Does it include a stop for coffee?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. You know I'm not really a big coffee fan." Tristan laughed when he saw Rory's horrified expression.

"What? I don't think I heard you right, because if I did, I don't think you even stand a chance." Rory said, trying desperately to keep the serious tone in her voice.

Tristan dropped her hand and said, "Well, okay, Mary. It was nice while it lasted. Don't forget to keep in touch."

She cocked her head and said, "It was nice, huh? Who knows what could have happened. Oh well, maybe Dean and that bimbo broke up, I think I'll go give him a call." She turned around and walked away, smiling. She counted to three softly before she heard Tristan running after her.

"Don't even think about it Mary! Dean doesn't even come close to comparing to me, the guy who lives a block away from Starbucks." He stopped to watch Rory's face light up and then suggestively added "And many other ways."

Rory hit him playfully and said, "You've been holding out on me, DuGrey. From now on, I expect coffee every morning."

"Well, if I can remember. Between you and all the other girls I've promised coffee, I have a pretty full load."

Rory leaned forward and captured his lips. After teasing him for a minute or so, she stepped back and said, "Will that help?"

"It certainly wouldn't hurt. But, maybe you better show me again."

Rory grabbed his hand and started to once again drag him towards the parking lot. "Come on, Bibleboy. I do have to get home eventually."

"You're a tease Gilmore. But wait, I've always known that about you." Tristan said as he opened the car door for Rory. Once she was safely inside, he went around to the driver's side and tried, but failed to open the door. "Mary, open the door!"

Rory pretended to not hear him and went inside her bag for her book. She started to act as if she was reading, but after seeing Tristan stare at her through the window, she gave in and unlocked the door. Smiling sweetly, she leaned back into her door and said, "Please don't hurt me."

Playing along, Tristan said, "Just for that, no coffee."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Don't take away my coffee."

Tristan smiled at her and said, "Don't worry Mary, I wouldn't dare. But it is very useful to know your weakness. The things I can get you to do…"

"Shut up and drive Tristan. I'm going to pretend I never heard you say that." Rory watched as Tristan started the car and pulled out of the school. Most of the ride was spent in comfortable silence, with Rory rooting through his music selection and occasionally mocking it. Tristan just smiled as he made his way to Stars Hollow; he had never had this much fun with a girl before. Now, all he had to do was take her out a few times and make her realize that he can be a good boyfriend.

Rory couldn't get over the fact that she was in Tristan DuGrey's car and she liked it. Everything had happened so fast and now she was sitting here, stealing glances at the one boy she said she would always hate. She had to admit, she was having more fun than she had in while. She wasn't sure if he was truly ready for a commitment, but she was willing to give him a chance and see.

**Hello all! Did you like it? I know not a lot happened, but I wanted to set up how they were going to continue after the kissing. Also, I wanted to show them being happy together without any drama. Please, please, please review and tell me what you thought! **


	9. Talk's Not Cheap

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey everybody! A shocker, I know- I went a day without updating. HUGE technical errors! First, I had this written and then for about three days the site wouldn't let me update. Then, I got back to school and my internet didn't work for six days. But, I'm back and I just have to keep singing the praises of all my reviewers! You guys are seriously way too nice to me, and I love you all for it! So, please enjoy this chapter and keep reviewing!**

Tristan pulled the car to a stop in front of Luke's as per Rory's instructions. Rory quickly got out of the car, excited at the prospect of coffee. Tristan slowly followed her, with a confused look on his face. "You know Mare, this is a hardware store." He said, still lagging behind her.

"Oh yeah, I just needed to pick up a few tools. It'll only take a second." Rory said, inwardly laughing at the expression on Tristan's face.

"So, my little Mary is handy, huh?" Tristan asked. Rory came to the entrance of Luke's and from behind her, Tristan started laughing. "I have to give it to you, that was a good one Mare."

Rory gave him a sweet smile and grabbed his hand, leading him to the counter. Luke noticed Tristan right away and said, "Who the hell is this?" Tristan just stood quietly beside Rory, observing the once-over the gruff looking guy behind the counter was giving him.

"Luke, this is Tristan. Tristan, this is Luke, the provider of life." Rory sat down and said to Luke, "Can we please have three cups of coffee?"

Luke visibly softened, and said, "Who is the third one for?"

"Me, of course." Rory said, then instructed the still standing Tristan to sit down.

Luke handed over the coffee, and Rory finished the first cup in record time. "Wow Mare, you can really suck that stuff down."

"Why is this kid calling you Mare? Is that some sort of punk kid word for something bad?" Luke asked, once again glaring at Tristan.

Tristan nervously said, "Um, no sir. I just-" Rory started to laugh and Tristan gave her a not-so-amused smirk.

"Relax, Luke. It's just a stupid nickname Tristan gave me. You don't have to worry about him, he's like a little puppy dog." Luke just tilted his head as if in thought and then walked off to take some orders from other customers.

Once Luke was out of earshot, Tristan said, "So, a puppy dog, huh? Unless that is in reference to how incredibly cute I am, I'm not too sure I like that."

"Ha, I just can't get over you being all 'no, sir. Sorry sir.' That was priceless."

"Hey, that guy is scary. Did you see the way he was looking at me?" Tristan asked, finally beginning on his cup of coffee. Rory was already half way through her second cup.

"He's just protective of me. He's like my dad. As a matter of fact, if my mom ever gets her act together, he just may become my step-dad some day."

"Well, allow me to say now that I feel bad for any guy that would have to encounter him as your step-dad." Tristan was now looking around Luke's and out the big glass window. He was interested in seeing what other sorts of interesting things were in Stars Hollow.

Rory noticed him glancing around and said, "Come on, let's go."

Tristan reached for his wallet and Rory stopped him and said, "Hey, don't worry about it. My mom and I have a running tab that I don't think is ever paid."

"Okay? Where we going?" Tristan asked Rory, who was already half-way out the door.

Once outside, Rory allowed Tristan to catch up and then said, "I'm going to give you a little look around my town."

"Aww, Mary, I'm touched. For you to include me like this…" Tristan grabbed his chest dramatically and smirked at the annoyed look that came across Rory's face.

"You really are a smartass, you know that?" Rory asked and Tristan grabbed her hand and led her against the front of a store. He just nodded his head at her, smiling.

"Oh, you do know? That's just all part of your charm?" Rory said as Tristan came closer to her.

"You know you love it." Tristan leaned forward and kissed her, slowly at first, then more passionately. Rory gave in and enjoyed the kiss until she heard someone clear their throat behind them. Reluctantly, they parted and Tristan let out a frustrated moan at whoever disturbed them.

"So, this is what it's come to, huh Rory?" Tristan turned around and glared at the sight of Dean.

"Bagboy, what a pleasure to see you. Come to tell us about the specials?" Tristan stepped away from Rory and walked towards Dean, looking as if he was going to hit him.

Rory didn't want them to get into another fight like at the dance, and quickly stepped between them. "Dean, please just go away."

Dean laughed and said, "Really Rory, I can't believe you. Running around with this jerk."

Tristan watched for a moment to see Rory's reaction. He could see the anger rising in her, and she definitely looked as if she was ready to cry. Rory couldn't help herself and said, "Oh yeah, you're one to talk. Making out with some bimbo. Does she love you Dean? Or did you break up with her too because you're so insecure?"

Tristan had to admit, he was proud of Rory for sticking up for herself like that. Still, he could see the hurt in her eyes; now he realized why the couple had broken up. He wanted to kill Dean right there and now.

Dean frowned for a minute and then said, "At least she's not a tease. You never kissed me like that Rory and now you're perfectly fine doing it with Tristan?"

Tristan suddenly felt very responsible for putting Rory in this situation. Taking another step towards Dean he said, "Back off Bagboy. I'm not going to just stand here and let you talk to her like that."

Rory smiled at seeing Tristan's protective side. The knowledge of having him by her side, sticking up for her, gave her the courage to say to Dean "I can't help the way I felt about you, or lack thereof. Just because I like Tristan and am comfortable kissing him doesn't make me a tease. Now just walk away and never come near me again."

Dean stood there for a second, trying to come up with a comeback, but he finally just shook his head and walked away. Tristan wrapped his arms around Rory and said, "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks for sticking up for me." Rory wiped the little tears that had started to form from her eyes and smiled at him gratefully.

"No thanks needed Mary. That guy is an asshole, he shouldn't have said any of those things to you."

Without saying another word, Rory grabbed Tristan's hand and started walking once again. After a few minutes of silence, Tristan finally asked, "Is that why he broke up with you? Because you didn't tell him you loved him?"

Rory stopped walking and stared at Tristan, surprised at his question. She was definitely uncomfortable discussing love with him. "Yeah, he did." She said quietly, and then continued walking.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Tristan said, feeling guilty.

Rory gave him a slight smile and said, "It's okay, It's just still kind of a sore spot for me. I mean, how could he have expected me to say that to him after three months? It's not that easy."

Tristan reached out and gently grabbed her arm, stopping her. He suddenly realized that Rory's life isn't the perfect little world he has assumed. She always seemed so happy and full of life, it was hard for him to imagine her being hurt. It was hard for him to imagine anyone hurting her. "I know what you mean."

Rory nervously said, "You do? I just always assumed you didn't want to care about anyone and that's why you had a new girlfriend every week."

Tristan sighed and said, "No, Rory, that's not it. I just never felt anyone was worth risking getting hurt. Everyone in my life is only there because they want one thing: money. It was just easier to get whatever affection I could and then run."

"Wow." Rory said and Tristan just hung his head, embarrassed. "You are just full of surprises Tristan DuGrey. And thanks."

Tristan raised his head and stared into her eyes. "For what?"

Rory smiled at him and said, "For trusting me enough to tell me that."

"Yeah, well, I'm not really as bad as everyone thinks."

"I know you're not." Rory grabbed his hand and continued to lead him through the town.

Tristan and Rory just kept walking, both not knowing what to say. They were both stuck in their thoughts. Tristan kept thinking about how he couldn't believe he had just told Rory that. He was happy that he was so comfortable with her that he could tell her things, but he was scared shitless about what that meant.

Rory was so confused she didn't know what to think. She and Tristan had just had a conversation usually reserved for couples that had been dating for a long time. They weren't even technically dating yet. She could tell that if she were to enter into a relationship with Tristan, that it would definitely be something different. Through all this, she still couldn't help but have doubts about him. He was after all, Tristan DuGrey, the guy who could easily lie his way out of anything.

**So, what did you think? Sorry there was kind of Dean bashing going on there, but I am really not a fan of his. This didn't start out as a "they spill their guts" chapter, it just kind of came out that way. Please, please review and tell me what you thought. Also, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!**


	10. It's Only Just Begun

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hello again! To make up for my serious lack of updating before, I am updating again! Thanks again for the reviews! I was so glad to see that people didn't give up on this story! You all definitely made me smile when I was having a rough time. So, here comes another chapter!**

Lorelai had just gotten home from a coffee run at Luke's. She practically ran home after hearing all the rumors of Rory walking around with a cute blonde kid. She didn't exactly trust the word of Luke or the rest of the town, and was determined to learn the truth herself. "Daughter, where are you?" She shouted as she stepped into the kitchen.

A few seconds later, Rory answered, "My room!"

Lorelai walked over and threw open her daughter's door. Rory looked up from her bed where she was busy studying and said, "Geeze mom, someone have too much coffee today?"

"I'm going to ignore that little comment of yours and ask you about the blonde kid all of Stars Hollow saw you walking around with." Lorelai pushed aside some of Rory's books and sat on the bed next to her.

Rory smiled and said, "Oh, that was Tristan."

Lorelai's eyes grew wide and she said, "Tristan, as in the evil boy we spent all weekend forgetting?"

"Yup, that one." Rory couldn't help but be happy. Tristan had dropped her off at her house with the promise that he would see her tomorrow at school.

"Whoa, okay. What did I miss?"

"Well, it all started with a fight with Paris and then Tristan ran after me and we talked… and kissed." Rory said the last part quietly. She looked at Lorelai as she could tell she was processing.

Lorelai wasn't exactly surprised, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. "Wow, uh hun, don't you think that is kind of fast? I mean just the other day you were crying about him and now, kissing?"

"I know mom, but he really talks to me. I'm really starting to understand him and it is really easy for me to tell him things too."

"Let me guess, he gave you the 'misunderstood rich kid' speech, right?"

Rory glared at her and forcefully said, "No, it's not like that mom! You don't know him!"

Lorelai sighed and moved closer to Rory and said, "Okay, I'm sorry. It's just that I don't want him to hurt you. From what I've heard, he is quite the playboy."

Rory remained silent for a few moments and then said quietly, almost to herself, "I know, and that scares me too. I never wanted to care about him, but I really do. I think I should at least give this a shot."

"Okay, I trust your judgment. You are, after all, the brains in this operation. I just provide the witty commentary."

Rory smiled and pulled Lorelai into a hug. "Thanks mom."

"No problem kid." Lorelai said, still hugging Rory.

Once they pulled apart, Rory said, "Um, mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Now that we got that out of the way, I need to tell you something else."

"Oh, no. What happened?"

Rory noticed the panic on Lorelai's face and quickly said, "Oh, don't worry, it's nothing bad. I just wanted to tell you that Tristan and I had a little encounter with Dean."

Lorelai let out a deep breath and said, "Oh, I bet that didn't go over so well. What did he say?"

"Oh, you know, just how I should be ashamed of myself for kissing Tristan like that when I would never do it with him. I think the word 'tease' was used. Tristan stuck up for me though, and I told Dean off. It was actually kind of great to see his face when I told him I couldn't help how I felt." Rory finished rambling and looked at her mom expectantly.

"God, what a jerk. I can't believe I thought he was a perfect boyfriend for you."

"Yeah, well, you weren't the only one. That's why this whole thing with Tristan seems so much better. We both know that saying the 'L' word is a big deal and we need to take some time to understand each other before we officially date."

Lorelai looked confused and said, "Wait, you aren't dating? I'm lost again."

"Well, not officially, I guess. He called me his girlfriend and I thought the whole thing was too fast, so we are going to take things slow and see what happens from there."

"Wow, you have one complicated love life. How about some chocolate, huh?" Lorelai said and stood, grabbing Rory's arm and pulling her out the door.

Rory woke up the next morning and hurried to get ready so she could grab some coffee before catching her bus. As soon as she was showered and dressed, she followed Lorelai out the door and towards Luke's. Lorelai stopped suddenly and Rory didn't notice and walked into her back. "Mom! How about a brake light next time?"

Rory followed Lorelai's stare and looked over to see Tristan leaning against the front of his car. "Either we won some sort of awesome contest, or that's for you." Lorelai said, smiling at the look on her daughter's face. Rory just stood there, staring at Tristan with a happy grin on her face.

Tristan walked over towards the two and said, "Hello, I'm Tristan." Lorelai took his offered hand and leaned forward and whispered, "You hurt her, this entire town will hunt you down, got it?"

Tristan furrowed his eyebrows together and said, "Got it."

"Well, it seems as though you have alternate transportation, so I will see you after work. Bye hun." Lorelai gave Rory a quick kiss on the cheek and continued on her way.

As soon as Lorelai was out of sight, Tristan said, "Morning Mary."

"What are you doing here?" Rory asked.

Tristan smirked and said, "We went over this the other day Mary. You are not going to take the bus, now let's go."

Rory allowed Tristan to lead her to the passenger side and open the door. Once they were moving, she said, "You know Tristan, you really don't have to do this everyday. It is really out of your way."

"I know, but I want to. End of discussion."

Rory laughed and said, "No, not end of discussion. I really-"

Tristan stopped at a light and leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. "Don't you dare argue with me Mary. I will always win."

"Oh, I see. You think you can just kiss me and I will shut my mouth." Rory asked playfully.

"I've never had a problem with it before." Tristan smirked as he kept his eyes forward, waiting for her reaction.

"Huh, we'll just have to see about that one." Rory said, happy to be bantering with him again.

"Oh, you will. Trust me."

Rory just smiled and shook her head at him. A little while later, Tristan slowed down and turned into a shopping complex. "Tristan, what are we doing here? We're going to be late."

Tristan gently grabbed Rory's face and turned her eyes in the direction of a Starbucks. "I'm supposed to provide you with coffee, remember?"

A bright smile grew on Rory's face and she said, "Well, well, well. I'm impressed. Maybe you are worth keeping around."

"That's what they tell me." Tristan said as he got out of the car and followed Rory who was already on her way to getting coffee.

Once they got their coffee, they got back in the car and headed to school. They pulled to a stop in the parking lot and Rory leaned over and gave him a long kiss. Tristan smiled as he tasted the combination of coffee and mint on her lips. "What was that for?"

Rory got out of the car and waited for Tristan to follow her. "Just wanted to remind you that you're not the only one who can kiss."

Tristan shook his head and grinned. "Mary, Mary, Mary. How could I ever forget that?"

Rory smiled and continued walking into the school. Tristan remained a decent distance from her, as he did not want to draw attention to them. They weren't even really dating yet, and he certainly didn't want the entire school going nuts over the two of them. Rory noticed this and stopped, waiting for him to come at her side. Once he began passing by her, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"And just where do you think you're going?" She asked.

Tristan glanced at her in surprise and said, "I just assumed…"

"Well, you assumed wrong. Let's go." Rory led him to her locker and she got her things for the day. The rumor mill had already begun, and it was going to be an interesting day.

**So, not a very eventful chapter, but it was important for Lorelai to know what was going on. I'm not in love with this chapter, so if you could please review and let me know what you think! Any suggestions? Thanks for continuing to read this! Review please!**


	11. UnEducational Fun

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey guys! Once again, your reviews were so awesome! Thanks so much! Really, truly! Okay, so if you guys have not seen "Tristan and Isolde" yet I suggest you drop everything you are doing and go see it right now! Okay, maybe not that drastic, but I saw it last night and I am in love with it! Well, now that I got that out of the way, on with the story!**

As soon as the double doors of Chilton opened to reveal Tristan and Rory holding hands, the entire student body stopped what they were doing to watch them. Tristan inwardly groaned because he may be used to the attention, but Rory certainly wasn't. Rory just tried her hardest to keep her eyes forward and ignore them. It wasn't so easy, however, when she noticed Summer and her friends whispering and pointing.

Tristan gave Rory's hand a gentle squeeze and whispered, "You okay?"

Rory returned his gesture and gave him a meek smile. "Yeah."

They had finally made it to Rory's locker and she was currently unloading her backpack as Tristan watched her intently from the side. When he heard an "Ow!" come from inside the locker, he placed his hand on her shoulder and asked, "You alright, Mary?"

Rory popped her head out of the locker and said, "This locker really hates me." She rubbed the top of her head and added, "Just like the rest of this school."

Tristan gently stroked the back of her head and said, "Mary, no one hates you. They're just jealous."

Rory rolled her eyes and said, "Oh yeah, of what?"

"Well, for starters you are gorgeous." Rory blushed, and he continued. "And, you're smart and you don't pretend to be someone you're not. I don't think anyone at Chilton has ever come across someone who isn't acting for the purpose of someone else. They don't know what to make of it."

A bright smile came across Rory's face and she said, "Wow, I'm impressed Bibleboy. Hmm... If all these things are true, why am I hanging around you again?"

Tristan smirked and said, "I have been asking myself the same question for a while now. But, let us not forget the other reason they are jealous of you."

"And what would that be?"

Tristan leaned forward and captured her lips in a short, but sensuous kiss. He pulled back and smirked at her closed eyes and happy grin. "That."

"I can't believe I am going to say this… but I agree with you on that." Rory said, laughing.

"Well, that's a new one. I don't blame you though, I am a fantastic kisser."

Rory hit him on the shoulder playfully and shut her locker. "Come on."

Tristan happily followed Rory as she started towards their first period class. Rory sat in her usual seat, and Tristan sat in his behind her. Rory turned around and pointed a finger at Tristan and said, "You better behave mister. I really have to pay attention today."

Tristan held up his hands in mock surrender and answered, "I will try my best Mary." Rory smiled and turned forward to get her things ready for class. "No promises though."

"Tristan! Why do you like to torture me so much?" Rory asked in the most annoyed voice she could muster. She couldn't help but secretly enjoy bantering with him.

Tristan leaned forward and whispered, "It's what I do. You know you love it."

Rory just shook her head and waited for the newly arrived teacher to begin the lecture. Paris was sitting a few rows across from her and Rory could see the death glares that were being sent her way. Rory gave her a confused look back. I thought we had a truce, she thought.

The bell rang and Rory sighed, grateful to be getting away from not only the stares of Paris, but also the rest of the class. Tristan grabbed her hand and led her out of the classroom. He walked her to her locker and said, "So Mary, what do you want to do during study period?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Rory rolled her eyes.

"Hmm, let me think about that one… Study, maybe?" Rory said sarcastically.

Tristan let out a groan and gave her a sad look. "That's no fun."

"Some of us care about school Tristan."

"And for the life of me I could never figure that out." Tristan smiled at her as she tried to load her already full backpack even more. "Let me give you a hand there."

Rory was about to refuse, but then said, "Sure, at least you'll be of some use."

"That hurt Mary. I should leave you with your fifty pound backpack and go catch a movie." Tristan placed the backpack on the floor and turned to walk away.

"Oh, no you don't! You are coming to the library and you are going to do this new fangled thing called studying."

Tristan turned around and said, "Well, if you insist… I guess I can suffer the library for you." He picked up her bag again and they made their way to the library.

Rory was sitting at a table trying to read over her history notes as Tristan sat across from her drumming an imaginary beat on the table with his hands. She looked out of the corner of her eyes and saw him staring back at her with a playful smile on his face.

"Seriously, Tristan. Do you have ADD or something?" Rory asked.

"Not that I know of. Come on Mare, let's do something fun."

Rory sighed and shut her notebook. She just couldn't resist giving in to him, especially when he was looking at her like that. Plus, anything that Tristan considered fun really had to be something interesting.

Tristan smiled when he noticed the look of resignation on Rory's face. He stood, and walking over to her and grabbed her hand, leading her away from the library with all of her things still sitting on the table.

Rory quickly noticed that she had no idea where they were. "Um, Tristan, where are we going?"

"A secret Mare, a secret." Tristan continued leading Rory through the school. After a few more minutes, he stopped in front of an unlabeled door. "Close your eyes." He told her. Rory gave him an apprehensive look and he just cocked his head to the side and said, "Trust me."

"Tristan and trust. An interesting combo." Rory said nervously as she closed her eyes. She felt Tristan place his hand on the small of her back and lead her into a room.

"Okay, stop here… And open."

Rory opened her eyes and stared in amazement. "Tristan, what is this?" She asked breathlessly.

Tristan smiled happily at the look of pure bliss on Rory's face. "This is where they keep all the books that were deemed 'un-educational.' You like it?" He asked nervously.

"Are you kidding? I love it! How did you know this was here?"

"Let's just say that I have a penchant for wandering around the halls when I'm bored." Tristan said as he watched Rory slowly walk and examine the book titles.

Rory gently fingered the spines of the books and said, "Or this is one of your many make-out places?"

Tristan sighed at Rory's comment. He couldn't shake the feeling that she still thought so little of him. "No, it's not Rory. Maybe I just wanted to show you something that seemed so perfect for you." He said defensively.

Rory's hand dropped from the books and she turned around slowly. She looked to see the same old wall built in his eyes again. Her face softened and she walked towards him and said, "I'm sorry, Tristan. I didn't mean it like that. Really."

Tristan regarded her silently for a moment and then said, "You know that I would never do anything like that to you, right?"

"What?" Rory asked quietly.

"I care about you too much to push you into some room and act as if what we were doing was some game."

Rory smiled and said, "I know that, but it's good to hear." She wrapped her hand around his neck and brought his lips to hers. Slowly, she found herself pushed up against a rack of books with Tristan's hands around her waist. They broke away in need of air and she said, "Definitely can't object about the secret room thing."

Tristan smiled at her uncharacteristic reaction. "You are just full of surprises Mary."

Rory placed her hand on Tristan's chest for a moment and just as he leaned in for another kiss, she gave him a slight push and moved to examine the books once again. Tristan laughed as she pretended to be completely engrossed in what she was doing. He walked up behind her and placed his hands around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. "We better get out of here. Third period starts soon." He whispered in her ear, which made her shiver.

"Okay, but we have to come back here soon." Rory said as Tristan took her hand and led her out of the room.

"Count on it, Mary. I think that is my new favorite place."

Rory smiled and said, "Mine too."

**So, what did you think? I didn't want to do the usual drama of Tristan and Rory having to defend themselves against their classmates. Please, please, please review! This story is definitely going slower than I thought it would, but I kind of like it this way. Let me know about some more suggestions though! Thanks! **


	12. Darn that Movie for Being so Good

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**I'm back! So, it seems that Tuesdays are probably going to be the best day for me to update because I only have two classes today. Well, technically I slept through the first one, but that's just between me and you guys! Anyways, thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews! You guys are so truly awesome! I can't really think of a better way of thanking you guys besides saying that the reviews are truly appreciated! On with the story…**

"Are you serious? Wow, kid, you must have been in literary heaven." Lorelai said excitedly as she and Rory sat on the couch and ate junk food.

Rory smiled brightly and said, "I know! It was amazing mom!" Rory had come home from school in an exceptionally good mood. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy.

"I must say, this guy is really pulling out all the stops. I'm a little jealous." Lorelai said with a mouth full of popcorn.

Rory just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yeah, I guess he is."

"Did I just miss something? You went from happy to sad in 3.5 seconds."

"It's just… I don't really know what to expect with Tristan. He is definitely not the boyfriend type, but he is trying so hard. What if he's trying too hard?"

Lorelai gave Rory a sympathetic smile and said, "Trust me, hun. There is no such thing. Let's just watch this movie and get our minds off boys."

Rory let out a laugh and said, "Yeah, mom. Because 'The Notebook' is such a great movie to get our minds off boys."

Lorelai smiled mischievously and said, "Oh, who cares? Ryan Gosling is beautiful."

The two girls settled in and watched their movie, almost completely in silence. The silence was interrupted, however, with the occasional 'awwing' at the TV.

Rory awoke the next morning in a very uncomfortable position on the couch. She turned to roll over, but succeed in hitting Lorelai in the head instead. "Ah, watch it!"

"Sorry, mom. Didn't see you there."

Lorelai rolled off the couch and onto the floor and said, "Lukes. Coffee. Now."

Rory followed Lorelai into the kitchen but stopped in her tracks when she noticed the clock that read: 8:15. "Oh my god! No time for coffee, I'm late for school!"

Lorelai sleepily looked between her daughter and the clock and finally said, "Okay, you hurry and get ready. You can take the Jeep."

Rory was already half way to the bathroom where she took a quick shower and pulled on her uniform. She grabbed her backpack and shouted a quick goodbye to Lorelai before flying out the front door. Rory was stopped on her way to the Jeep by running into something hard.

"Whoa, you okay Mary?"

Rory looked up and was met with Tristan's eyes playfully staring down at her. "Tristan? What are you doing here? You should be in school."

Tristan smirked and said, "I should be in school? Hmm, aren't we hypocritical this morning?"

Rory stepped back and glared at him. "I know, I know. I fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up on time."

"Well, my dear Mary, that is why I am here. Let's go, shall we?" Tristan extended his arm for her to take.

Rory hesitantly linked her arm in his and followed him to his car where he opened her door and waited for her to be seated. Once Tristan was inside, Rory asked, "You came all the way to Stars Hollow because I was twenty minutes late?"

"Well, it is not a normal occurrence to not see you at school." Tristan pulled to a stop at a light and then added, "Plus I felt guilty."

Rory scrunched her face in confusion and said, "Guilty? Why should you feel guilty? I was the one drooling over Ryan Gosling, causing me to oversleep."

"I-" Tristan stopped and said, "I'm sorry, you were doing what?"

Rory blushed three shades of red and said, "Oh, nothing. My mom and I were just watching 'The Notebook' last night."

Tristan nodded and smiled. Rory smiled back at him, but then said, "Wait a minute… You never said why you felt guilty."

"Ahh, you have a good memory Mary. Okay, I feel guilty because I didn't pick you up for school this morning. If I had, you wouldn't have been late."

"No, Tristan. This is not your fault. I don't expect you to take me to school everyday." Rory grabbed his hand and smiled at the sheepish look on his face. She couldn't believe that he blamed himself for her being late. It was definitely cute, though.

Tristan brought her hand to his lips and gave it a kiss. "Still, I'm sorry. You see, I myself overslept and just barely made it to school."

"Oh, really? Man, that movie does wonders on people."

Tristan gave her a confused look and then realization came across his face. "No, Mary. I was not watching 'The Notebook' thank you very much. I had much more important things occupying my time."

"Like?"

"All in good time, Mary. All in good time." Tristan pulled the car into the school parking lot. As Rory was reaching to open the door, Tristan said, "Wait one second."

Rory stopped what she was doing and looked at Tristan expectantly. "What are you up to now Bibleboy?"

Tristan reached behind his seat and produced a to-go cup of Starbucks coffee. He handed it to Rory, who screamed in excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Seriously, I don't know how I would have made it through the day without coffee."

"Well, you better hurry up and drink it, because you are already pretty late." Tristan watched in amusement as Rory finished the whole cup in three gulps. The two quickly got out of the car and made their way into the school. Tristan followed Rory to her locker, much to her protest.

"Tristan, you have already ditched school to get me. Get to class already."

Tristan pretended to think for a moment and then shook his head and said, "Nope, I don't think so Mary."

"You're impossible, you know that?" Rory couldn't help but smile as he grabbed her bag and made his way down the hallway.

"As a matter of fact, I have heard that from time to time." Rory quickly sped up to catch up to Tristan. Just before getting to the door of Rory's second period class, Rory placed her hand on Tristan's shoulder and grabbed her bag away from him.

"Well, I will see you later Mary." Tristan turned and starting walking towards his own classroom down the hallway.

"And where do you think you're going?" Rory asked playfully.

Tristan pointed down the hallway and confusedly said, "Class? Someone I know seems to think it will be good for me."

"Yes, that's true… But not as much as this will." Rory stepped forward and wrapped her hands around Tristan's neck, pulling him into a kiss. Tristan remained in surprised stillness for a moment, but soon responded as he felt Rory's tongue run along his bottom lip. He opened his mouth and let her in, and they were soon pushed against the lockers in a passionate battle for control. The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Rory quickly gave Tristan's chest a push and separated herself from him.

"Oh my god! I missed two classes!" Rory said worriedly.

Tristan was still smiling from the kiss and said, "Relax, Mare. It won't kill you. I myself greatly enjoyed the time I spent missing class."

Rory sighed and said, "Yeah, I guess it was pretty fun."

"You guess? Mary, if this hallway wasn't full of people, I would make you greatly regret that last statement."

Rory smiled playfully and began walking down the hall. "Well, I guess I'm lucky the hallway is full then. See you later Bibleboy."

Tristan stood in the middle of the hallway watching her retreating back until she rounded the corner. "Rory Gilmore, what are you doing to me?"

**So, not a lot happened, but I personally thought it was fun! Oh yeah, I do not own "The Notebook" or Ryan Gosling, I am just slightly obsessed with that movie! Also, if you paid attention you could have picked up on a hint that something is happening in the next chapter! So, please review and let me know what you thought! Gilmore Girls is on tonight and I am so excited! Please make the day even better with a few reviews! Thanks!**


	13. It Takes Studying to Become a Graduate

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**So, after a crazy week, I am back! Seriously though, all your reviews made all of the tests and papers more bearable. So thank you sooooooo much for encouraging me! I really appreciate all of you continuing to read this story! Now that I am finished groveling, I will allow you to read the next chapter!**

Tristan had just finished dropping Rory back off in Stars Hollow after school. Excitedly, he drove up the long driveway that led to his house. He only had two and a half hours to get everything ready for tonight. He laughed to himself as he remembered telling Rory that he had to study tonight. Her look of surprise and disappointment was one of the cutest things he had ever seen. He didn't like lying to her, but he knew she would forgive him.

Rory was sitting in the kitchen working on homework and drinking coffee. She already missed Tristan; a feeling that was definitely a little unsettling. She wouldn't even get to see him until tomorrow morning at school. Earlier today, she had a suspicion that Tristan was finally going to take her out on their first real date. After his little comment about what he had been doing the previous night, she was shocked when he told her he was going to be studying tonight. She sighed and took another large gulp of coffee. This is going to be a very long night, she thought.

"Rory! Luke's!" Lorelai burst into the kitchen door and broke Rory out of her thoughts. Lorelai stopped and stared at her daughter, who was staring at the inside of an empty coffee mug. "Hello? Earth to Rory! Did you not hear what I said? Food!"

Rory finally looked up and said, "Oh, hey mom. What are we doing?"

Lorelai walked over to Rory and placed her hand on her forehead. "Are you feeling okay? Because you must be delusional."

Rory hit Lorelai's hand away and said, "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking, that's all. Come on, let's go to Luke's."

"Ohh, thinking about a certain blonde-haired Bible Boy, huh?" Lorelai said teasingly as she followed Rory out the door.

"No, I'm not thinking about Tristan. I was thinking about school."

"Uh-huh, sure. I've been meaning to ask you, how does Bible Boy look in that uniform while ruling all his little cronies?"

Rory gave Lorelai a confused look and said, "What are you talking about?"

"Just the fact that you are dating the King of Chilton. Thinking about school must be so much more interesting now."

Rory ignored Lorelai's ramblings about Chilton, Tristan and the fact that blue was definitely a good color on him. All she could think about was that she missed him; she could care less about the fact that he ruled their pathetic little school.

An hour later, Rory and Lorelai were back at the house. Lorelai was watching "The Graduate" and Rory was attempting to study. It was a difficult task, however, with Lorelai mocking Dustin Hoffman in the background and the fact that her mind definitely was not on calculus.

Half-way through the movie, Lorelai heard an "Ahh!" come from the kitchen. She hit the pause button and quickly ran into the kitchen with a pillow poised in attack position.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on my daughter!" Lorelai yelled.

"Mom, it's okay! I was just frustrated with studying." Rory said and then laughed as she saw her mom in attack mode.

"Geeze, you gave mommy a heart attack. What's up with you hun? You've been acting weird all night." Lorelai dropped the pillow and sat next to her daughter at the table. Rory pretended to be looking at her textbook, so Lorelai flipped it closed and said, "So, talk."

Rory sighed and said, "Fine, you win. I was thinking about Tristan. Happy?"

Lorelai smiled at her admission. She would have to be blind to not know he was the reason for her behavior. "What about Tristan?"

Rory groaned and placed her head on the kitchen table. "Everything! Where do we stand? Is he just using me? Am I really over Dean? And why can't I get him out of my head?"

"Wow, that's a lot of thinking. Well… let's just start with the obvious. You can't get him out of your head because you like him. And he's gorgeous."

"Mom!"

"Sorry, sorry. Ror, I know that you're scared about this, but you just have to take a chance. And trust me when I say that you are over Dean. Do we not remember the little confrontation you had with him a few days ago?"

Rory lifted her head and looked at Lorelai. "Okay, I guess you're right. But, I still don't know what Tristan is thinking about all this. Shouldn't he have asked me out by now?"

"Ror, you just have to give him time. From what you've told me about him, this is definitely new territory for him."

"Yeah, that's what scares me." Rory mumbled.

Lorelai smiled and patted Rory's hand. "It'll all work out. Trust me, I'm the mom. Now, you want to come watch the movie with me?"

"No, I think I should probably try to get some actual studying done. Thanks mom."

Lorelai stood and grabbed her pillow and made her way back to the living room. "Just holler if you need anything!"

Rory took a deep breath and opened her textbook. She was determined to finish her homework and get her mind off Tristan. After taking much more time than usual, she finally finished her homework and closed her book. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already almost 7:30. She trudged into the living room and saw Lorelai glued to the TV. She laughed and sat next to her on the couch.

Just as Rory was finally starting to relax, she heard a knock at the door. "Did you order a pizza?" She asked Lorelai.

"Nope, but maybe my stomach ordered it for me. It does have powers."

Rory laughed and shook her head. She went to the front door and gasped when she opened it to find Tristan standing there. In his hand was a single red rose and his face was smiling happily down at her.

"Tristan, what are you doing here?"

Tristan smirked and said, "I would have thought that was obvious Mary. I am taking you out."

He extended his hand to her and she slowly took the rose. She brought it to her nose and inhaled the sweet smell. "A little notice would have been nice." Rory said as she looked down at her current ensemble.

"Are you kidding? I personally think that you look amazing." Tristan said, without an ounce of sarcasm. He loved seeing her in her coffee mug pajamas and her hair messily tied back in a ponytail.

Rory blushed and said, "Thanks, but I'm not buying it. If we're going out, I am definitely changing." She gestured for him to come in and as he slipped by her he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"If you insist Mary."

"I do. Now, where are we going? I need to know how to dress." Rory immediately regretted her question as she took in Tristan's nice black pants and collared shirt.

"Well, you can dress however you like Mary."

Rory smiled at him and said, "Okay, you can go in the living room and wait."

Tristan followed Rory as she led him over to the couch where Lorelai was sitting. She looked up surprised and said, "Bible Boy, what are you doing here?"

He leaned forward and said, "It's a secret."

"Oh, I love secrets! But I can see from your appearance that I have some work to do with Rory, so if you will excuse me."

Tristan laughed and said, "Sure thing." He sat down on the couch and nervously watched the movie.

In a record twenty minutes, Rory was back standing in front of him. He stood up and tried to think of something to say. Rory looked beautiful in a simple knee-length black dress. Her hair was down and flowing freely over her shoulders. He suddenly was taken by the urge to run his hands through it. Rory just stared back at him bashfully.

"Okay, kids. I think we should end this stare fest. Time for you to go, chop, chop!" Lorelai said.

Tristan laughed and said, "She's right. We really should get going." He walked towards them and gently took Rory's hand, leading her out the door.

"Have fun! Don't be back too late!" Lorelai yelled after them as they walked towards Tristan's car. She smiled as she watched the two walking hand and hand. She noticed Tristan stopped and whisper something in Rory's ear. Man, I wish I knew what he was saying, Lorelai thought.

As they were walking towards the car, Rory couldn't be feeling more nervous. She had no idea what was going to happen tonight, but she was excited. Tristan leaned towards her and softly whispered, "Mary, you are without a doubt the most beautiful girl I have ever seen." Rory smiled back at him and allowed him to open the car door for her. Yup, this was definitely going to be an interesting night, they both thought as Tristan drove away from the Gilmore house.

**So, I'm sorry I didn't get the actual date in this chapter! I know I tend to drag things out. I just start writing and then if I would have kept going it would have been way too long. Please don't hate me and review! Ideas are still appreciated for the date, because that is not completely carved in stone in my mind yet. Please, please, review and let me know! Thanks!**

**P.S. I do not own the "Graduate," but I just saw that last night for the first time and it was in my head. **


	14. This Could Go One of Two Ways

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**So, I'm back! Sorry it took me forever to update! I swear if I would have known college involved papers and tests, I never would have gone! Oh wait… I did know that. Oh well, sorry again! Once again, an amazing thanks to all my reviewers! Seriously, opening my e-mail and reading your reviews gives me an instant burst of happiness! So, thanks very much and please continue reading and reviewing!**

Tristan and Rory had been driving for twenty minutes, and neither had said a word since the car doors shut. It wasn't exactly a comfortable silence; more like silence full of nerves and uneasiness. Tristan continually glanced at Rory, who would just give him a small smile in response. Rory's cell phone rang, sounding incredibly loud in the quiet confines of the car. "Oh, thank god!" Rory exclaimed and then answered it.

Tristan wasn't sure whether to laugh or glare at her response and decided just to keep his eyes on the road. "Hey mom! It's going… fine. How bout you?"

"So, I'm sorry to call, but I'm dying to find out where you guys are going!" Lorelai said excitedly on the other line.

"I don't know, we haven't gotten there yet." Rory said, trying her best to keep her voice quiet and not let on her discomfort.

"Hmm… He's taking you somewhere kinda far. That could mean one of two things. One, he's taking you somewhere really cool or two, he's taking you somewhere to kill you quietly."

"Mom! He's not taking me somewhere to kill me." At this, Tristan turned towards Rory with horrified expression on his face.

"Mare, what the hell are you talking about?"

Rory laughed and said, "It's just my mom being her usual Lorelai-self. Don't worry about it." She placed her phone back to her ear and said, "Okay, mom, it's time for us to go. Maybe you should get yourself some coffee."

"I'll never say no to that! Have fun sweetie, and be careful!"

Rory laughed and said, "Yeah, I will. Bye mom."

Rory placed the phone back in her purse and looked over at Tristan, who was smiling and shaking his head. "You Gilmores really are characters, you know that?"

"Yup, but that's what everyone loves about us."

"I'd have to agree with you there." Tristan turned his attention back to the road and spoke again a few minutes later. "Can I ask what the 'oh, thank god!' comment was about when your mom called?"

"Oh, sorry about that. It's just… it was pretty quiet and awkward in here, don't you think?" Rory looked down at her lap and waited for his answer.

Tristan sighed and said, "Yeah, it was. I'm just really nervous and I wasn't sure what to say. This isn't just our first date, but it's the first date that I have gone on where I actually care about what my date thinks. The first time I've ever planned anything."

Rory raised her head and looked towards Tristan. He was doing his best to look straight forward and avoid all eye contact with Rory. "That's really sweet Tristan. I'm sure everything will be great. I don't think I've ever had a date that was really planned out either. Unless you count being taken to a junk yard and being broken up with. I mean, come on, who does that?" Rory started to ramble, and Tristan reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Hey, bagboy is an idiot. Don't even think about him again." He continued driving with his right hand intertwined with hers. Rory smiled and took a deep breath to relax herself.

After a few more minutes, Rory said, "Seriously Tristan, where are we going? And are we going to get there anytime soon?"

"Patience Mary, patience. You are quite demanding, you know that?"

Rory grabbed her hand away from his and lightly smacked his shoulder. "I am not! I'm just making sure you know where we're going. I mean, how do I know I can trust you, Bible Boy?"

Tristan smirked and said, "I don't know, I guess you'll just have to have a little faith."

Rory smiled at him and said, "Okay, I'm sorry, I'll shut up now."

"You, shut up? Ha!" Tristan said as he slowed down and pulled into a parking lot.

"You know, I'm really starting to doubt your whole story about caring what your date thinks!" Rory said playfully.

"Well, doubt no longer, because we're here." Tristan got out and walked over and opened Rory's door, offering her his hand as she stepped out of the car.

"Oh. My. God." Rory said as she stood staring wide-eyed at the building in front of her.

Tristan smiled and placed his hand on the small of her back, coercing her to walk. "This, my dear Mary is the place that will make all your dreams come true. Your coffee dreams that is." Tristan smirked and Rory just smiled brightly at him.

"Is this what I think it is?" Rory asked.

Excited at her response, Tristan said, "Yup, this is where some of the best coffee beans on the east coast are sold. And for tonight, it's all ours."

Rory starting running as fast as her heels would allow her towards the entrance. "Well, what are you waiting for Tristan? The coffee is calling!" Tristan laughed and ran after her.

"We so have to bring some back for mom. She is going to be so jealous." Rory's eyes glanced over all the different bags and said, "But, we can never tell Luke."

Tristan raised his hand and said, "Sworn to secrecy."

The couple sat at a table in the attached restaurant where they were served cup after cup of different flavors of coffee. There was also delicious coffeecake, pie and any dessert you could think of.

"Wow, I don't think I can drink anymore. I'm going to be shaking for a week." Tristan said as he placed his eighth cup of coffee down on the table.

"Amateur." Rory teased as she continued sipping her newest mug.

"Not all of us have coffee running through our veins 24-7."

Rory laughed and said, "Well, it's genetic. And speaking of, we should definitely go pick out a bunch of bags to bring mom."

Tristan stood and pulled out Rory's chair. "After you, Mary."

"Why, thank you, kind sir." Rory said as she walked to the huge storefront. It smells like heaven on earth, she thought. Tristan just watched in amusement as Rory hurriedly walked up and down the aisles, throwing various bags into her basket.

Ten minutes later, she came up to Tristan, her basket overflowing. "Okay, I think I'm good now."

"You sure? That bunch right there might only last the two of you a week."

"I know, but it was all I could carry." Rory said as she heaved the heavy basket onto the counter.

"Don't worry about it Mare, I already ordered you some. It should be coming to your house tomorrow." Tristan retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and paid the woman behind the register.

"No, Tristan, it's too much."

Tristan grabbed the three grocery bags and said, "Don't even try to argue me on this Mary. You know you won't win."

"Oh yeah, and why's that?"

Tristan leaned forward and gave her a long, sweet, coffee-tasting kiss. He pulled back and said, "Aren't you forgetting that I have excellent methods of persuasion?"

"How silly of me to forget something like that." Rory wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in for a more passionate kiss. Tristan dropped the bags and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her even closer. After pulling away only to breathe, Rory whispered, "Thank you, this was perfect."

Tristan smiled happily and said, "You're welcome Mary. I think this definitely qualifies as my best first date."

Rory grabbed one of the bags on the floor so Tristan would have a free hand for her to hold. They walked hand and hand to the car and she said, "Yup, this was definitely my best first date too. Actually, probably my best date ever."

**Did you like it? I really hope so! I wasn't sure what the first date should be, but I thought this was a cute idea! I have no idea if such a place exists, but if it did, any Gilmore would be happy! Please, please review and let me know what you think! Thanks again!**


	15. Bible Boy Gets a New Name

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey, sorry for the delay in updating. I had midterms and papers due which basically ate up all of my time! The happy thing is that I am now home for spring break and I had time to update! Enjoy!**

Rory flew into the house and shouted, "Mom! I'm home!" She was jumping around and she couldn't tell if it was from all of the caffeine, or if it was from the goodbye kiss she had just shared with Tristan.

Lorelai came down the stairs and said, "Hey babe, I'm guessing things went well?"

"What makes you assume that?" Rory asked, smiling brightly.

"Oh, I don't know, it could be the fact that you are smiling and jumping around the living room. And you-" Lorelai stopped upon noticing the bags of coffee sitting on the couch. "Is that what I think it is, oh lovely daughter?"

Rory smiled mischievously and said, "Hmm… I'm not sure what you're talking about. Well, I think I'm going to go to bed now. Night, mom." Rory started to walk towards her room, but stopped when she heard a rustling of bags. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Oh my god, it is like Gilmore heaven in here! How can you be holding out on momma like this?" Lorelai continued to rummage through the countless bags of different beans. Each one she brought to her nose and slowly sniffed, letting out a contented sigh.

Rory smiled and walked over and joined Lorelai. "Oh yeah, did I mention that we went to one of the biggest coffee shops in Connecticut?"

Lorelai threw a bag of Irish cream at her daughter and said, "You lucky little girl!"

"I would retaliate, but I don't want to risk damaging the coffee!" Rory said as she scooped up the bags of coffee and walked them over to the kitchen.

Lorelai quickly followed her and watched as Rory carefully placed the different bags in the cabinet. "Which kind should we have first?"

Rory answered from inside the cabinet, "We can't have any now, otherwise we won't be able to sleep."

Lorelai pouted and said, "Party pooper."

"Yeah, yeah, that's me. Night mom!" Rory walked over to her room and just before she closed her door, she shot over her shoulder, "Oh, by the way, there should be some more coffee coming tomorrow morning!"

"What?" Lorelai shouted. "I love this kid!"

Rory woke up the next morning to find Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table with about ten coffee mugs surrounding her. "Mom! Did you drink some without me?"

"Well, just a little bit of each! I couldn't help myself! I could hardly sleep thinking about all this coffee just taunting me downstairs, so I woke up early and started to make some. I couldn't stop." Lorelai said guiltily.

"Great self-control, mom, really. Now, where's mine?"

Lorelai handed her a mug and continued to sip hers. Rory smiled and said, "Oh my god, this is awesome!"

"You know that we can't tell Luke about this, right? Because sadly, this coffee will run out one day and I don't want to have to beg him to allow us to have coffee again." Lorelai looked at her daughter thoughtfully and said, "We should probably get some coffee from there anyway, just to ward off suspicion."

"Good idea. I'll get ready for school and we can head over there."

Rory emerged from her room ten minutes later, clad in her uniform and an overflowing backpack. Lorelai just laughed and shook her head as her daughter awkwardly maneuvered her way around the kitchen. "Maybe you should leave the bag here, pick it up after we're done."

"No time. I'll be fine, trust me. Now let's go." The two Gilmore girls walked out of the kitchen door and Rory ran right into the back of Lorelai, who had stopped suddenly. "Earth to mom! Could you give me a little bit of a warning next time?"

"You really should watch where you're going Mary." Rory looked up to see a smirking Tristan leaning against his car. After a moment, Rory realized what Lorelai had been staring at. Surrounding Tristan's feet were baskets full of coffee and mugs.

Rory dropped her bag on the porch and ran over to him. "Oh my god, Tristan. When you said there was more coming to our house, I assumed you meant they were delivering it."

Tristan smirked and said, "Well, maybe I just wanted an excuse to see you. Um, is your mom okay?" Rory followed Tristan's gaze to where Lorelai was still standing in the same position she was a moment ago. Her mouth was hanging open and she was staring at the mounds of coffee.

Rory waved her hand dismissively and said, "Oh yeah, she's fine." Tristan gave her a strange look in response and Rory explained, "She's just shocked by the coffee. Give her a minute or two, she'll snap out of it."

"So, does that mean that I have a minute to kiss you without her noticing?" Tristan asked, smirking at the smile that grew on Rory's face.

Rory glanced back at Lorelai, who still hadn't moved. "I'd say that's a safe bet." Tristan pushed himself off of the car and reached his arm out to bring Rory's face to his. Their lips met and Rory wrapped her hands around Tristan's neck. They remained in this position for quite a while, and broke apart when they heard, "Oh, my eyes!"

Rory looked back at Lorelai and said, "Sorry mom! We thought we had at least 30 more seconds before you snapped out of it."

"Well, I would be mad that you were taking advantage of my catatonia, but I think I can make an exception in this case." Lorelai smiled, showing that she wasn't at all bothered at seeing her daughter making out with her non-boyfriend. Actually, she really wasn't sure what the relationship between Tristan and her daughter was.

Rory sighed in relief and said, "Let's get this coffee inside. Tristan and I have to get to school." Tristan followed Rory's lead and began carrying the baskets into the house.

Lorelai made one trip, only carrying the smallest of items. "So, Bible Boy, I think I have a new name for you."

Rory gave her mom a horrified look and said, "Oh no, what?"

Tristan looked on interested and smirked when Lorelai said, "Beans!"

"Mom! You are not calling Tristan that!" Rory said, giving Tristan an embarrassed frown.

Lorelai smiled and said, "How 'bout Hazelnut?"

Tristan laughed and Rory covered her face with her hands and shook her head. "You can call me whatever you want Lorelai."

Lorelai raised her hands in victory and said, "See, Rory? He doesn't care!"

Rory grabbed Tristan's arm and said, "Okay, we're leaving now. Bye crazy."

"Bye Rory, bye Beans!" Lorelai shouted as they walked to his car. Rory groaned in response and Lorelai broke down laughing.

Once inside Tristan's car, Rory said, "I'm really sorry about that. My mom's definitely unique."

"Hey, it's cool. She's not the only one that's unique." Tristan said, smiling as he pulled past Monty the rooster.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Rory asked.

"You and your mom are both very entertaining people, that's all." Tristan said carefully.

Rory thought for a moment and said, "I guess I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"Good." Tristan said. "I like that you aren't afraid to be crazy or funny."

Rory smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Well, thank you very much." She paused for a moment and added, "Beans."

"Hey, now, I said that your mom could call me whatever she wants, not you."

"Oh, I see. So, what can I call you? Bible Boy?"

Tristan appeared thoughtful for a moment and said, "On second thought, you can call me whatever you want, Mary."

"Well, that seems fair considering you get to call me Mary."

Tristan turned towards her and asked, "I thought you didn't mind being called Mary anymore?"

"No, you're right. I really don't mind it. In fact, I kinda like it." Rory blushed slightly and waited for his sarcastic remark.

Tristan grabbed her hand and said, "Well, then, Mary it is."

They drove the remainder of the way to school in comfortable silence. Rory was thinking about the last few days with Tristan. Everything had been going great and she couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun. It was definitely a lot more fun having Tristan in her life.

Tristan pulled the car to a stop in the parking lot and reached back to grab Rory's heavy backpack. Rory got out of the car and walked over to Tristan's side. They walked hand in hand as Tristan carried both of their bags on his back. Rory stopped walking a minute later and turned towards Tristan. Tristan cocked his head to the side in question and Rory said, "I thought of what I want to call you."

Tristan groaned playfully and said, "Okay, let me have it."

Rory took a deep breath and quietly said, "Boyfriend." She looked down at her saddle shoes and waited for his response. Suddenly she felt herself being lifted into the air in a giant hug.

"That is the best thing that you could have called me Mary." Tristan whispered in Rory's ear while still holding her in the air.

"I'm glad we agree." Rory whispered back.

Tristan finally brought her back down to the ground and he gently stroked her chin with his thumb, smiling down at her. He slowly leaned forward and pulled her into the sweetest, slowest kiss that either had ever had. They pulled apart breathless and Rory said, "Well, shall we go to class, boyfriend?"

"Why yes, girlfriend, let's go."

**So, did you like it? I hope the first parts with Lorelai and the coffee didn't bore you. I just thought we needed a little Lorelai time. Tristan and Rory have finally defined their relationship, what do you think? Please, please review and let me know! Thanks! **


	16. Cute, but a Little Creepy?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or the song "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson. I am simply borrowing them for a little while.

**Hey guys, so sorry it has been such a long time! This story has been slightly neglected for another one and the little annoying thing known as college. I hope I haven't lost your attention! So please read and review!**

Tristan walked down the hallway with a huge smile on his face. He couldn't get over the fact that by his side was Rory Gilmore, his girlfriend. God, he loved the sound of that. He turned to her and she just smiled shyly back at him. He knew that she was noticing all of the staring eyes in the hallway. He gave her hand a light squeeze for reassurance and they continued their walk to her locker. Once there, he heaved her heavy backpack off and held it out for her as she unloaded it.

"You know Mare, I don't know how you do it." Tristan said, amused as she began filling the bag with just as many books as she had just taken out.

Rory stopped and said, "Do what?"

"Carry all these books around. You do know that no matter how much you'd want it, your handsome and strong boyfriend can't always be around to be your personal tow truck." Tristan inwardly did a happy dance as he saw Rory beam at the word 'boyfriend.'

Rory placed the back of her hand over her forehead in a dramatic gesture and in a horrible southern accent said, "Oh no, what ever will I do without my man?"

Tristan smiled and then grasped her hand, leaning forward to give her a lingering kiss. He pulled back to see Rory smiling shyly and looking around the hall. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. You just looked so cute."

"Oh, well in that case you are forgiven." Rory gave him another quick peck on the lips and said, "Come on, we have to get to class."

Tristan groaned as they walked towards first period and said, "Man, it's going to take me a while to get used to dating a brain."

"I know, because all of your other girls had so many other important concerns." Rory said in a somewhat bitter tone.

Tristan had spent so much time studying Rory's face in the past that he was now able to notice every change of emotion. He pulled slightly at her hand, causing her to stop and look at him quizzically. "What?" She asked, looking impatient.

Tristan grabbed her hand and led her away from the middle of the hallway and against a locker. Rory bit her lip nervously and looked expectantly at Tristan who was just inches away from her face. "You need to listen to me now, Rory."

Rory nodded her head, unsure of what to make of Tristan's serious tone. "Okay?"

Tristan tucked the hair that was covering her eyes behind her ear and said, "I don't want you, even for a second, to ever be jealous of any of those girls. None of them meant anything to me. Trust me when I say that they have absolutely nothing on you."

"I'm not-" Rory began but Tristan stopped her by putting his finger to her lips.

"I know you better than you think. I know that you have a hundred different smiles and frowns; I can see it in your eyes when something bothers you. I'll never understand why something as stupid as the bimbos at this school can get to you, but I know that it does."

Rory just stood there, staring at him in surprise. Tristan stared right back, never taking his eyes from hers. She finally couldn't take it anymore and said, "How do you know me so well? We've been going out for what, 20 minutes?"

Tristan laughed and said, "What, did you think that I actually pay attention to the teacher in class? Hardly."

Rory blushed at the thought of having Tristan stare at her for the many hours of class they have shared together. She had always noticed him looking at her, but she had always thought it was for the sheer purpose of annoying her. "Oh, well, I guess I get it now." Tristan smiled and she added, "Even if it is a little creepy."

Tristan pulled back and said, "Creepy, huh?"

"Uh huh." Rory laughed and then screamed as Tristan began tickling her. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! You're not creepy!"

Tristan's hands stopped their action at her stomach and moved to cup her face. "Good. I don't think I can go around having a girlfriend who thinks I'm creepy." He didn't want for her to respond and leaned down, capturing her in a much longer, sensuous kiss. Rory grabbed the back of his neck pulling him even closer. Tristan was pushed closely against her body, which was trapped between him and a locker. They stopped when they heard "Uh hum."

Tristan pulled back and said, "Need something, Paris?"

Paris scowled and said, "In case you two lovebirds didn't notice, the bell just rang."

Rory blushed and gave Tristan's chest a slight push to free herself from the compromising position they had been caught in. "Come on, Tristan. Now we really have to go." Rory pulled Tristan down the hall, shooting Paris a guilty look. She still wasn't sure how things with Paris were supposed to go. She knew that Paris had a crush on Tristan, but she thought that they had resolved their issues. Paris could be heard grunting from down the hallway and Tristan smirked.

"She's just jealous of my Mary."

"Oh, so I'm your property now?" Rory asked jokingly as they neared the classroom.

Tristan smirked and said, "I should think so, girlfriend. I certainly don't want you to belong to someone else. Or have anyone else call you Mary."

Rory smiled and said, "Yeah, I think you're right. It's weird when someone else calls me that."

Tristan gave her a kiss on the cheek before opening the door, leaving them standing in front of an entire classroom of curious students. Tristan leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Ready for the madness?" Rory simply nodded and slowly walked into the classroom, closely followed by Tristan who took his seat behind her. Rory pulled out her notebook and did the best she could to ignore all of the whispering from her fellow classmates. Tristan looked around the room, shooting everyone a look of warning. This did the trick and the class remained silent for the rest of the period. Rory didn't even have to look back to know the reason for the newfound silence. She shot Tristan a grateful smile from behind her shoulder and he just mouthed 'you're welcome.'

The bell finally rang and Tristan shot out of his seat, grateful for having study hall next. He waited for Rory to gather her things and then took her hand, leading her outside. "And just where do you think you're taking me, Mr. DuGrey?"

"I just thought you might want a little time away from the lemmings." Tristan sat at a table in the courtyard, patting the seat next to him.

Rory sat next to him and said, "You're right about that. Why do they find you so interesting?"

Tristan pretended to be offended by the question and said, "You don't find me interesting, Mary?"

Rory shook her head and said, "Of course I find you interesting, but I just don't know why they do. They see you so differently than I do."

Tristan suddenly became very interested and said, "Oh yeah, how so?"

"Well… I'd like to think that I see who you really are. They still see the Tristan that I thought I knew before. The fake you." She studied his face carefully, trying to judge his reaction.

After a minute, Tristan nodded and said, "You're probably right. Not everyone gets to see me the way you do. Let them think whatever they want. I really don't care anymore."

"Why is that? Why do you let me see you differently?"

Tristan shrugged and looked away. He really wasn't used to answering questions like this. "You are worth showing the truth; I trust you to like me for who I really am."

Rory smiled and grabbed his face, turning it towards her. "Well good, because I do." She kissed him lightly and said, "Wow, Tristan DuGrey insecure. Never would have thought I'd see the day."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it. And don't go blabbing. After all, I have a reputation to protect." He smirked, showing her that the serious moment was over and he was ready to move on.

"Of course, King Tristan. Whatever you say." Rory pretended to bow and then burst out laughing.

"Good to see you take me so seriously." Tristan joked and then kissed her quickly, smiling against her lips. Rory pulled back and rested her forehead against his.

"As long as someone does." She said, smiling.

**Ok, so definitely a filler chapter. Please let me know what you think. This story might be coming to a close unless someone has a good idea of where it should go from here. Thanks for reading!**


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